Energy News Digest for February 18, 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)

·         Officials Sign Klamath Agreement

·         Okanogan PUD board eyes rate increases

·         Grant County PUD Approves Rate Increases

·         Portland General Electric Asks Oregon for 7.4 Percent Electrical Rate Increase

·         Avista Credits Lower Wholesale Costs for 2009 Earnings

·         Federal Nuclear Loan Guarantees - Southern Co.’s Lobbying Draws Complaints

·         Columbian Editorial - Nuclear Power? Yes

·         Why Obama’s Nuclear Bet Won’t Pay Off

·         Utility Executives like Nuclear Power - Climate Science, Not So Much

·         San Antonio Utility Reaches Nuke Plant Settlement

·         Small Reactors Generate Big Hopes

·         NY Times Editorial - A Reasonable Bet on Nuclear Power

·         Google Wins FERC Approval to Trade US Electricity

·         Palo Alto: Plane Crash Knocks out Power to Businesses, Schools, Homes

·         Natural Gas Tumbles on Large Supplies

·         Abundant Steelhead Run Benefits More Than Anglers

·         Oregon - Group Eyes Ban on Commercial Gillnets

·         Bureau of Land Management Looks to Audubon to Map Sage Grouse Habitat

·         NY Times Editorial - Closing the Carp Highway

·         Scientists Still Sparring Over Future of Pacific Northwest Snowpack

·         State Could be Near Drought

·         Many Demands in Wenatchee River Basin –

·         Dirty Water: Pet Waste Leads to Water Concerns in Clark County

·         Avista Pushes Back Reardan Wind Farm Construction

·         Avista Shifts Timing for Acquisition of Renewable Resources

·         Biomass Generally Emits Lower Pollutants

·         Wave Power Park Forming Off Coast of Oregon

·         Maine Residents Push Back Against Wind Power Farms

·         3TIER Launches Next Generation Wind & Solar Prospecting Tools

·         Peninsula School District Pursues Energy Savings

·         Three Steps to Put Homeowners on Path to Energy Efficiency

·         UN Climate Chief Quits, Leaves Talks Hanging

·         Virginia Files Challenge to E.P.A. Greenhouse Gas Regulation

·         Cantwell Aims to Energize Green Jobs Creation

·         A Future Where the Whoosh of Passing Cars Power Highway Lights

·         Environmental Advocates Are Cooling on Obama

·         5,000 Customers Use Grant PUD Fiber

·         Major Internet Event Is Afoot at the North Mason Chamber

·         Washington Could Give Microsoft $100M Annual Tax Cut

·         Utah - Cities of UTOPIA Announce a Formal Bid for Google Fiber Communities

·         Qwest Thinks 100 Mbps Is ‘Just a Dream’ - And for Qwest users, maybe it is

·         Networks Desperately Seek Data Capacity

·         Check out the FCC’s Useless Broadband Competition Map

·         Facebook Spokesman Defends Coal-Powered Data Center

·         Report Ranks San Juan County Healthiest in State

·         Washington D-O-T Seeking Input on Alternatives for Belfair Bypass

·         Video Update - Rep. Finn talks about jobs, biomass, and the Belfair Bypass

·         Washington Governor Wants $605M in Taxes for Deficit

·         State House Approves I-960 Suspension

·         Salazar, Gregoire Tout Stimulus Projects

WORD OF THE DAY

Hogshead • \HAWGS-hedd\ • noun – 1: a large cask or barrel 2: any of various units of capacity; especially: a United States unit equal to 63 gallons (238 liters)

The dim light from a guttering oil lamp cast a gleam across the watery eyes of the town’s most tipsy resident. He had fallen down a hole near his favorite tavern and landed directly in the storage basement, where he was surrounded by the looming shadows of over a hundred hogsheads of beer. “Am I in heaven,” he sighed. “Or will I be saved from this hole when the barkeep comes down for refills. Either way, I’m a winner!”

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

Officials Sign Klamath Agreement (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/02/15/daily36.html

Okanogan PUD board eyes rate increases (Omak Chronicle, WA)

http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n100217a.shtml

Grant County PUD Approves Rate Increases (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/feb/17/grant-pud-approves-rate-increases/

Portland General Electric Asks Oregon for 7.4 Percent Electrical Rate Increase “…A residential customer using 900 kWh would have a monthly bill of just over $101…” (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/02/pge_asks_oregon_for_8_to_9_per.html

Avista Credits Lower Wholesale Costs for 2009 Earnings (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/feb/18/avista-credits-lower-wholesale-costs-2009-earnings/

Federal Nuclear Loan Guarantees - Southern Co.’S Lobbying Draws Complaints (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011107116_apusnuclearplantlobbying.html?syndication=rss

Columbian Editorial - Nuclear Power? Yes: It’s time to let solid science guide this clean energy source out of its doldrums

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/feb/18/nuclear-power-yes/

Why Obama’s Nuclear Bet Won’t Pay Off (Time Magazine)

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1964846,00.html

Utility Executives like Nuclear Power - Climate Science, Not So Much (NY Times)

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/17/utility-executives-like-nuclear-power-climate-science-not-so-much/

San Antonio Utility Reaches Nuke Plant Settlement (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011111094_aptxnuclearpowersettlementtexas.html?syndication=rss

Small Reactors Generate Big Hopes (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071402124482176.html

NY Times Editorial - A Reasonable Bet on Nuclear Power

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/opinion/18thur2.html?th&emc=th

Google Wins FERC Approval to Trade US Electricity (Business Week)

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-18/google-wins-ferc-approval-to-trade-in-u-s-electricity-markets.html

Palo Alto: Plane Crash Knocks out Power to Businesses, Schools, Homes (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14419271

Natural Gas Tumbles on Large Supplies (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011112866_apoilprices.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Abundant Steelhead Run Benefits More Than Anglers (The Lagrande Observer, OR)

http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/Features/Outdoor/Recreation/Abundant-steelhead-run-benefits-more-than-anglers

Oregon - Group Eyes Ban on Commercial Gillnets (Salem Statesman-Journal, OR)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20100218/OUTDOORS/2180323/1034/SPORTS/Group-eyes-ban-on-commercial-gillnets

Bureau of Land Management Looks to Audubon to Map Sage Grouse Habitat (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011104919_apwysagegrousemapping1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

NY Times Editorial - Closing the Carp Highway

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/opinion/18thur4.html?th&emc=th

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Scientists Still Sparring Over Future of Pacific Northwest Snowpack (The Oregonian, Portland)

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

State Could be Near Drought (Sequim Gazette, WA)

http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2010-02-17_state_could_be_near_drought

Many Demands in Wenatchee River Basin - Storage projects under review but no quick or easy solutions on how to ensure water supply (Wenatchee World)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/feb/18/background-many-demands-in-wenatchee-river-basin/

Dirty Water: Pet Waste Leads to Water Concerns in Clark County (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/84669522.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Avista Pushes Back Reardan Wind Farm Construction “…It really doesn’t pencil out at this time…” (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/feb/17/avista-pushes-back-reardan-wind-farm/

Avista Shifts Timing for Acquisition of Renewable Resources - Company remains among greenest utilities with 60 percent renewable generation (PR Newswire)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Avista-Shifts-Timing-for-prnews-1158101088.html?x=0&.v=1

Biomass Generally Emits Lower Pollutants (Smithfield Times, VA)

http://www.smithfieldtimes.com/index.php/news/25-top-stories/200-biomass-vs-coal

Wave Power Park Forming Off Coast of Oregon (Earth Techling)

http://www.earthtechling.com/2010/02/wave-power-park-forming-off-coast-of-oregon/

Maine Residents Push Back Against Wind Power Farms (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011112169_apmewindpushback.html?syndication=rss

3TIER Launches Next Generation Wind & Solar Prospecting Tools (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/3tier/news/article/2010/02/3tier-launches-next-generation-wind-and-solar-prospecting-tools?cmpid=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Peninsula School District Pursues Energy Savings (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/feb/17/peninsula-school-district-pursues-energy-savings/

Three Steps to Put Homeowners on Path to Energy Efficiency (Daily Journal of Commerce)

http://www.djc.com/news/en/12014999.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

UN Climate Chief Quits, Leaves Talks Hanging (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011112831_apclimatedeboerquits.html?syndication=rss

Virginia Files Challenge to E.P.A. Greenhouse Gas Regulation (NY Times)

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/virginia-files-challenge-to-e-p-a-greenhouse-gas-regulation/

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Cantwell Aims to Energize Green Jobs Creation (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/02/17/02-18-10-cantwell

A future where the whoosh of passing cars power highway lights (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/commuting/2010/02/a_future_where_the_whoosh_of_p.html

Environmental Advocates Are Cooling on Obama (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/18/science/earth/18enviros.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

5,000 Customers Use Grant PUD Fiber (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/02/17/news/doc4b7c6a5d36365258730681.txt

Major Internet Event Is Afoot at the North Mason Chamber (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/feb/17/major-event-afoot-nm-chamber/?partner=RSS

Washington Could Give Microsoft $100M Annual Tax Cut (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/194750.asp?source=pimail

Utah - Cities of UTOPIA Announce a Formal Bid for Google Fiber Communities (BusinessWire)

http://www.sys-con.com/node/1289423

Qwest Thinks 100 Mbps Is ‘Just a Dream’ - And for Qwest users, maybe it is (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Thinks-100-Mbps-Is-Just-A-Dream-106940

Networks Desperately Seek Data Capacity (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61G3EY20100217

Check out the FCC’s Useless Broadband Competition Map (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/02/12/check-out-the-fccs-useless-broadband-competition-map/

Facebook Spokesman Defends Coal-Powered Data Center (All Facebook)

http://www.allfacebook.com/2010/02/facebook-spokesman-defends-coal-powered-data-center/

GENERAL NEWS

Report Ranks San Juan County Healthiest in State (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011104447_apwahealthycounties.html?syndication=rss

Washington - 2010 Health Outcomes Map (Mason is 37^th)

http://www.countyhealthrankings.org/washington

Washington D-O-T Seeking Input on Alternatives for Belfair Bypass (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1393-d-o-t-seeking-input-on-alternatives-for-belfair-bypass

Video Update - Rep. Finn talks about jobs, biomass, and the Belfair Bypass (Washington House Democrats)

http://newsroom.housedemocrats.wa.gov/fred-finn/rep-fred-finn-rsquo-s-legislative-video-update/

Washington Governor Wants $605M in Taxes for Deficit (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011110820_apwaxgrgregoiretaxes2ndldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

State House Approves I-960 Suspension (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011116398_960taxes18m.html?syndication=rss

Salazar, Gregoire Tout Stimulus Projects (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011110237_apwarecoveryactprojects4thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Celebrating Birthday, Oregon Man Gives His Business to Employees

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100218/BIZ/702189953/-1/rss03

Town Bans Drinking At St. Paddy's Parade

http://www.kirotv.com/news/22600037/detail.html

Dead' Woman Moves Arm At Funeral Home

http://www.kirotv.com/health/22591864/detail.html

Beatles’ Abbey Road May be Up for Sale

http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/22578203/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Beatles - Abbey Road medley (Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight, The End)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g61dNM08Y10