Energy News Digest for March 5, 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)

·         Low Snowpack Means City Light May Seek Higher Rates

·         Public Meeting on Proposed Shelton-Area ADAGE Biopower Plant Coming

·         Detroit - Protesters to DTE Energy: Don’t Cut Service during Winter

·         Murray Presses Energy Secretary on Yucca Mountain

·         South Carolina Justices Hear Challenge to Nuclear Plant

·         New York - Electricity Bills Could Go Up if Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Sold

·         A Need for New Nukes? “Modular Reactors” for Energy Attract Interest

·         Another Worker Injured in Connecticut Power Plant Explosion Sues

·         Transmission Sticker Shock - Activists See Cape Wind Cost Shock

·         Eastern States Balk at Paying Wind (Energy Transmission) Cost

·         Texas Public Utility Commission Orders Tests of Smart Meters

·         Coupling Solar to Natural Gas, & Hoping for the Best of Both

·         Thousands of Sea Lions Take off from Oregon Coast

·         Cancer Kills Many Sea Lions; & Its Cause Remains a Mystery

·         Big Impact on West if Sage Grouse is Recommended as Protected Species

·         Port of Centralia Supports Lewis County Dams

·         Klamath Water Deal Faces First Big Test

·         Oregon Governor Seeks Aid for Klamath Farmers Ahead of Water Deal

·         Grant PUD Discusses Possible Solar Plant – Could Include Clallam, Lewis & Mason PUDs

·         Wind Farm Faces Oregon Fight – Town of Union Joins the Resistance to Turbines

·         New Oregon Law Targets Older Biomass Plants – Older Plants Would Count

·         Japanese Solar Company Picks Fairview for Oregon Plant

·         California’s RPS – State Senator Reintroduces Legislation for Clean Power

·         Pueblo Chieftain Editorial - Energy Mandates

·         Britain’s Hydro-Electric Projects under Threat from Lack of Funds

·         Clallam PUD to Send CFL Bulbs to Customers

·         Port Orchard Independent Editorial – Energy Saving Plan Focuses on Results

·         Baker City Herald Editorial - Save (Electricity) Now & Later

·         All Those Olympic Peninsula Trees Mean Serious Carbon Storage

·         Interior Department Chooses Alaska for Climate Center

·         Lawmakers Move to Restrain EPA on Climate Change

·         Study Says Undersea Release of Methane is Under Way

·         Minneapolis Star-Tribune Op/Ed - A Science Mea Culpa

·         Claim: San Francisco Giving Gardeners Toxic Sludge

·         NoaNet’s High-Speed Internet Grant Will Extend Access into Columbia Gorge

·         Three Kitsap Libraries to Receive Funds via NoaNet Grant for Internet Upgrades

·         US Lawmakers Question Use of Broadband Stimulus Funds

·         The Top 25 Fastest Broadband Counties

·         ID Insight Releases “Fastest 25” Broadband List

·         Taxpayers Lose Challenge to Google Data Center in North Carolina

·         Google Bandwagon - What Would You Do for Some Google Fiber?

·         Google Bandwagon - Google Broadband: Topeka May be Sorry

·         Google Bandwagon - Petaluma Hopes to be Google’s Test City

·         Google Bandwagon – Tallahassee Democrat: Come on, Google

·         FCC Shout Out - Hey Julius: 100 Mbps to 100 Million Is Not Ambitious

·         Steve Ballmer Speech at UW: “We’re All In” for Cloud Computing

·         Apple iPad to Arrive in Stores on April 3

·         Washington’s State Senate Leader Suggests Income Tax Referendum

·         At Least 36 Die Using Washington State’s New Death with Dignity Law

·         Booth Gardner Film Nominated for Academy Award

·         Boeing to Offer 767 as Next Air Force Tanker

·         Norm Dicks Finally Tapped to Lead Powerful Defense Budget Panel

WORD OF THE DAY

Mea Culpa • \MAY-yuh KULL-pah\ • noun – A formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error – Latin, “through my fault”

“Too late MISTER Brown; too late,” intoned the lump of flesh, otherwise known as the pit boss. “Your mea culpa for cheating the house out of $10 million is laudable,” the corpulent supervisor murmured softly, his words wafting through the darkened room like the smoke of rancid incense. “Fortunately for us, you DO have a future in this casino. Unfortunately for you, it will be as a stack of poker chips,” the Jabba-like personage cackled. “Take him away lads.”

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

Low Snowpack Means City Light May Seek Higher Rates – “…Other regional utilities…say this year’s low snowpack is not forcing rate increases. They depend less on hydroelectric power & wholesale sales revenue…” (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011259720_citylight05m.html?syndication=rss

Public Meeting on Proposed Shelton-Area ADAGE Biopower Plant Coming (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1519-public-meeting-on-proposed-adage-biopower-plant-coming-until-then-questions-can-be-sent-via-email

Detroit - Protesters to DTE Energy: Don’t Cut Service during Winter (Detroit Free Press, MI)

http://www.freep.com/article/20100304/NEWS01/100304035/1001/NEWS/Protesters-to-DTE-Energy-Dont-cut-service-during-winter

Murray Presses Energy Secretary on Yucca Mountain (Tri-City Herald, WA)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/03/04/925950/hanford-murray-presses-energy.html

South Carolina Justices Hear Challenge to Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SC-justices-hear-challenge-to-apf-3386667613.html?x=0&.v=1

New York - Electricity Bills Could Go Up if Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Sold (NY Daily News)

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2010/03/03/2010-03-03_nuke_deal_fallout.html

A Need for New Nukes? “Modular Reactors” for Energy Attract Interest (Scientific American)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/post.cfm?id=a-need-for-new-nukes-modular-reacto-2010-03-05

Another Worker Injured in Connecticut Power Plant Explosion Sues (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011255799_apuspowerplantexplosion.html?syndication=rss

Transmission Sticker Shock - Activists See Cape Wind Cost Shock: Report projects $10B for ‘green’ power system upgrades (Boston Herald, MA)

http://bostonherald.com.nyud.net/business/general/view/20100305activists_see_cape_wind_cost_shock_report_projects_10b_for_green_power_system_upgrades/

Eastern States Balk at Paying Wind (Energy Transmission) Cost (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100305/BUSINESS/3050359/-1/BUSINESS04/Eastern-states-balk-at-paying-wind-cost

Texas Public Utility Commission Orders Tests of Smart Meters (Dallas Morning News, TX)

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/030510dnbussmartmeters.3cf8e48.html

Coupling Solar to Natural Gas, & Hoping for the Best of Both (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/business/05solar.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Thousands of Sea Lions Take off from Oregon Coast (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2011255081_weboregonsealions04.html?syndication=rss

Cancer Kills Many Sea Lions; & Its Cause Remains a Mystery (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/science/05sfsealion.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Big Impact on West if Sage Grouse is Recommended as Protected Species (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011261095_sagegrouse05m.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Port of Centralia Supports Lewis County Dams (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

http://chronline.com/news/article_91721f74-27ba-11df-8d44-001cc4c002e0.html

Klamath Water Deal Faces First Big Test (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/6839-klamath-water-deal-faces-first-big-test/

Oregon Governor Seeks Aid for Klamath Farmers Ahead of Water Deal (The Oregonian, Portalnd)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/03/oregon_governor_ted_kulongoski.html?utm_source=AllTodaysNewsRSS

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Grant PUD Discusses Possible Solar Plant - Clallam, Lewis & Mason county PUDs expressed an interest in the project

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/03/04/news/doc4b9044bec097a761238575.txt

Wind Farm Faces Oregon Fight – Town of Union Joins the Resistance to Turbines (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/03/fighting_wind_farms_in_oregon.html

New Oregon Law Targets Older Biomass Plants - Would allow energy from facilities to count toward renewable energy requirements (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/03/01/daily56.html

Japanese Solar Company Picks Fairview for Oregon Plant (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/03/japanese_solar_company_picks_f.html

California’s RPS – State Senator Reintroduces Legislation for Clean Power (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14513644

Pueblo Chieftain Editorial - Energy Mandates “…the Colorado Legislature is overreaching…to mandate that renewables generate 30% of electricity in the state by 2020…”

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2010/03/05/editorial/doc4b908e5bf36f8045266717.txt

Britain’s Hydro-Electric Projects under Threat from Lack of Funds (The Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/energy/7370389/Britains-hydro-electric-projects-under-threat-from-lack-of-funds.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clallam PUD to Send CFL Bulbs to Customers (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/5574

Port Orchard Independent Editorial – Energy Saving Plan Focuses on Results, Not Consensus

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/poi/opinion/86373717.html

Baker City Herald Editorial - Save (Electricity) Now & Later

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Editorials/Save-now-later

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

All Those Olympic Peninsula Trees Mean Serious Carbon Storage - Olympic among region’s national forests atop US ranking (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/03/05/1161182/all-those-trees-mean-serious-carbon.html

Interior Department Chooses Alaska for Climate Center (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2010/03/04/1167889/interior-department-chooses-alaska.html?utm_source=AllTodaysNewsRSS

Lawmakers Move to Restrain EPA on Climate Change (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/04/AR2010030404715.html?wprss=rss_business

Study Says Undersea Release of Methane is Under Way – Could set off potentially significant increases in global warming (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/science/earth/05methane.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Minneapolis Star-Tribune Op/Ed - A Science Mea Culpa: “Climategate” has left global warming scientists engaging their critics & explaining their work.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/86404342.html?elr=KArks:DCiUo3PD:3D_V_qD3L:c7cQKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Claim: San Francisco Giving Gardeners Toxic Sludge (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/business/1310ap_us_farm_scene_sludge_compost.html?source=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

NoaNet’s High-Speed Internet Grant Will Extend Access into Columbia Gorge (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/mar/05/high-speed-internet-grant-access-to-be-extended-in/

Three Kitsap Libraries to Receive Funds via NoaNet Grant for Internet Upgrades (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/mar/04/three-kitsap-libraries-to-receive-funds-for/?partner=RSS

US Lawmakers Question Use of Broadband Stimulus Funds (PC World)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20100304/tc_pcworld/uslawmakersquestionuseofbroadbandstimulusfunds

The Top 25 Fastest Broadband Counties (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/The-Top-25-Fastest-Broadband-Counties-107200

ID Insight Releases “Fastest 25” Broadband List (ID Insight - Thurston, Snohomish, Island Counties? What?)

http://www.idinsight.com/news/P03022010.asp

Taxpayers Lose Challenge to Google Data Center in North Carolina (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/03/05/25301.htm

Google Bandwagon - What Would You Do for Some Google Fiber? (Motley Fool)

http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2010/03/04/what-would-you-do-for-some-google-fiber.aspx

Google Bandwagon - Google Broadband: Topeka May be Sorry (PC World)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20100304/tc_pcworld/googlebroadbandtopekamaybesorry

Google Bandwagon - Petaluma Hopes to be Google’s Test City (Petaluma Argus-Courier, CA)

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100304/COMMUNITY/100309840?Title=Petaluma-hopes-to-be-Google-8217-s-test-city&tc=ar

Google Bandwagon – Tallahassee Democrat: Come on, Google; Tallahassee is a place to test innovation

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20100305/OPINION01/3050314/1006/opinion

FCC Shout Out - Hey Julius: 100 Mbps to 100 Million Is Not Ambitious (Broadband Reports)

http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Hey-Julius-100-Mbps-to-100-Million-Is-Not-Ambitious-107209

Steve Ballmer Speech at UW: “We’re All In” for Cloud Computing (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoftpri0/2011255515_steve_ballmer_speech_at_uw_were_all_in_for_cloud_c.html?syndication=rss

Apple iPad to Arrive in Stores on April 3 (NY Times)

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/apple-ipad-arrives-in-stores-on-april-3/?partner=rss&emc=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Washington’s State Senate Leader Suggests Income Tax Referendum (Associated Press)

http://www.komonews.com/news/86396517.html

At Least 36 Die Using Washington State’s New Death with Dignity Law (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011255213_death05m.html?syndication=rss

Booth Gardner Film Nominated for Academy Award (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011265395_apwaboothgardneracademyawards.html?syndication=rss

Boeing to Offer 767 as Next Air Force Tanker (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Boeing-to-offer-767-as-next-tanker-for-the-Air-Force--86382607.html

Norm Dicks Finally Tapped to Lead Powerful Defense Budget Panel (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2011255211_dicksofficiallyheadspowerfuldefensebudgetpanel.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Bremerton Council Says No to Chickens

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/mar/04/bremerton-council-says-no-to-chickens/?partner=RSS

By Request (Please Make It Stop!): Oregon DMV Pulling Plug on Muzak in Several Offices

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/by_request_please_make_it_stop.html

For Psychic, Suit Came as Surprise

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/05/business/05psychic.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Brian Hyland - Gypsy Woman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCFmoBa8FPA