Energy News Digest for April 13, 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)

·         Oregon Land Board Rejects Bradwood Landing Liquefied Natural Gas Project

·         Oregon – Emerald PUD Proposes Rate Increase, Public Hearing Tuesday

·         Alcoa Narrows Loss as Demand & Prices Rise

·         The Nuclear Waste Problem: Where to Put It?

·         This Nuclear Option Is Nuclear - The Costs of Fads & Superstition

·         Officials Cautious About West Coast Salmon Season

·         Low Water Year Sparks Question: To Spill or Not to Spill?

·         Science Panel Opposes Obama Plan for Snake/Columbia Salmon

·         Shoshone-Bannock Indian Tribes Restored Hope for Salmon

·         Group to Look at Wind Farms’ Effects on Grouse

·         US Gives Columbia Land Trust $6 Million Grant for Bull Trout Habitat

·         Bottled Water War in Oregon

·         Bottler Asks Everett for Water Guarantee

·         Taking New Tack in Hetch Hetchy Battle over Dam & Reservoir

·         New Owner Works to Fill Lake Tapps

·         Renewable Energy Helps Fuel Dow Above 11,000

·         Idaho - Cashing in on the Chips: Wood Slash Becomes Biofuel for Paper Mill

·         Europe Finds Clean Energy in Trash, but U.S. Lags Behind

·         Minnesota - General Mills to Power Fridley Plant with Oat Leftovers

·         Montana – Illinois Company Plans Two More Wind Farms near Great Falls

·         A Grid of Wind Turbines to Pick Up the Slack

·         Wind Industry Growing in Blue & Red States Alike

·         Illinois - Naperville Part of Plan to Turn Brush into Energy Sources

·         Washington Lawmakers OK Ballot Measure for School Energy Upgrades

·         Seattle Times Op/Ed - LEED Green-Building Standards Must Not be Diluted

·         Google, Tech Firms: Data Center Efficiency Standard Could Stifle Innovation

·         Pacific Northwest Becoming Primed for More Wildfires

·         Don’t Think That Cap-and-Trade Is Over – Especially since big money is involved

·         Rio Tinto to Congress: Get Going on Carbon Pricing

·         Alabama Power to Start Construction on Carbon Capture Steam Plant

·         King County Council Approves Car Charging Outlets

·         Renewable Energy AND Pollution? Pollution Fine Sets Record for Biofuels Maker

·         US Military’s Green Projects to Save $1.6 Billion over Time

·         Wrap Session - Is Plastic Wrap Greener than Aluminum Foil?

·         Across the State of Oregon Creeks, Buttes, And Peaks Need New Names

·         FCC Chief Julius Genachowski Faces Broadband Dilemma

·         Google on Net Neutrality, Its Fiber Buildout & Cloud

·         Ex-Employees Turn to Cyber Crime after Layoffs

·         Twitter to Have Paid Tweets Show Up in Searches

·         Google Documents Get an Upgrade

·         MIT - Building a Wireless Network out of Junk

·         Microsoft Unveils New Consumer Phones

·         A Google Tablet Could be Good News for Adobe

·         Washington State Lawmakers Pass Budget, Adjourn Special Session

·         Over Pot Charge - Olympia City Council Member Hyer to Plead Guilty to Felony

·         Majority Leader Kessler to Retire from Washington State House

·         Ex-WaMu CEO Defends Bank’s Actions before Failure

·         Griswold Family Lets Claim Against Pierce County Stand

·         Hoquiam Man, Larry Pearson, Still in Custody a Day After 44-Mile, High Speed Chase

·         Two Arrested in Attempted Copper Theft from Mercer Construction Site

·         Starbucks Offering Free Coffee Thursday to Customers with Reusable Tumblers

·         Student Texting Interrupts Speech by Holocaust Survivor, in Latest Incident of Tech-Driven Rudenes

·         Ringo Starr Unmoved by Vatican Praise for Beatles

WORD OF THE DAY

Probabilistic • \prawb-buh-buh-LIST-tick\ • adjective - 1: of or relating to probabilism 2: of, relating to, or based on probability

Joel was certain that the probabilistic nature of the word “probabilistic” being a real word was quite low. However, with the Oxford English Dictionary stating that there are an estimated quarter of a million distinct words in the English language, the chance of “probabilistic” being a real word was actually quite high.

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

Oregon Land Board Rejects Bradwood Landing Liquefied Natural Gas Project (Associated Press)

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_or_lng_terminal_oregon.html

Oregon – Emerald PUD Proposes Rate Increase, Public Hearing Tuesday (KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR)

http://kezi.com/page/169739

Alcoa Narrows Loss as Demand & Prices Rise “…markets are gradually improving, & both policy trends & consumer sentiment bode well for aluminum demand…” (Associated Press)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/business/13alcoa.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

The Nuclear Waste Problem: Where to Put It? New Presidential Commission is Exploring Ways to Store Radioactive Nuclear Fuel (ABC News)

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/nuclear-waste-problem-put/story?id=10211941

This Nuclear Option Is Nuclear - The Costs of Fads & Superstition (Newsweek)

http://www.newsweek.com/id/236177

FISH & WILDLIFE

Officials Cautious About West Coast Salmon Season (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/12/1204103/officials-cautious-about-west.html

Low Water Year Sparks Question: To Spill or Not to Spill? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/7096-low-water-year-sparks-question-spill-or-not-spill/

Science Panel Opposes Obama Plan for Snake/Columbia Salmon (The Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/04/science_panel_opposes_obama_pl.html

Shoshone-Bannock Indian Tribes Restored Hope for Salmon (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

http://www.waterworld.com/index/display/news_display/143619184.html

Group to Look at Wind Farms’ Effects on Grouse (Times-News, Twin Falls, ID)

http://www.magicvalley.com/news/local/state-and-regional/article_318c1516-89fa-5ecc-aee4-7dd230821e16.html

US Gives Columbia Land Trust $6 Million Grant for Bull Trout Habitat (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/apr/13/us-gives-columbia-land-trust-6-million-grant/

WATER & ENVIRONMENT

Bottled Water War in Oregon (FOX News)

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/04/12/bottled-water-war-in-oregon/?test=latestnews

Bottler Asks Everett for Water Guarantee (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100413/NEWS01/704139900/-1/rss02

Taking New Tack in Hetch Hetchy Battle over Dam & Reservoir (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/us/11sfpolitics.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

New Owner Works to Fill Lake Tapps - Boating season: It’s not as high as normal this spring, but May 1 target looks good (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/04/13/1145781/new-owner-works-to-fill-lake-tapps.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Renewable Energy Helps Fuel Dow Above 11,000 (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/04/13/13climatewire-renewable-energy-helps-fuel-dow-above-11000-87351.html

Idaho - Cashing in on the Chips: Wood Slash Becomes Biofuel for Paper Mill (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/apr/13/cashing-in-on-the-chips/

Europe Finds Clean Energy in Trash, but U.S. Lags Behind (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/science/earth/13trash.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Minnesota - General Mills to Power Fridley Plant with Oat Leftovers (Pioneer Press, St Paul, MN – wonder what deadly stuff will be in those emissions)

http://www.twincities.com/business/ci_14840619

Montana – Illinois Company Plans Two More Wind Farms near Great Falls (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011588032_apmtwinddevelopment.html?syndication=rss

A Grid of Wind Turbines to Pick Up the Slack (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/science/13obwind.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Wind Industry Growing in Blue & Red States Alike (Grist Online)

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-04-12-wind-industry-growing-in-blue-and-red-states/

Illinois - Naperville Part of Plan to Turn Brush into Energy Sources (Chicago Tribune, IL)

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-04-12/triblocal/chi-napervillebrush-100412_1_city-manager-doug-krieger-plainfield-naperville-road-councilman-grant-wehrli

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington Lawmakers OK Ballot Measure for School Energy Upgrades (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/12/1204305/wa-senate-oks-school-upgrades.html

Seattle Times Op/Ed - LEED Green-Building Standards Must Not be Diluted

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2011591237_guest13hayes.html?syndication=rss

Google, Tech Firms: Data Center Efficiency Standard Could Stifle Innovation (Eart2Tech)

http://earth2tech.com/2010/04/12/google-tech-firms-data-center-efficiency-standard-could-stifle-innovation/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Pacific Northwest Becoming Primed for More Wildfires (RedOrbit)

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1849103/pacific_northwest_becoming_primed_for_more_wildfires/

Don’t Think That Cap-and-Trade Is Over “…Carbon trading, also known as cap & trade, is on the cusp of generating mammoth amounts of money for governments…” (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/business/energy-environment/12iht-green12.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Rio Tinto to Congress: Get Going on Carbon Pricing (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14871141

Alabama Power to Start Construction on Carbon Capture Steam Plant (Birmingham Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2010/04/12/daily5.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

King County Council Approves Car Charging Outlets (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011590487_apwaelectriccarcharging.html?syndication=rss

Renewable Energy AND Pollution? Pollution Fine Sets Record for Biofuels Maker (Des Moines Register, IA)

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20100413/NEWS/4130348/1001/

US Military’s Green Projects to Save $1.6 Billion over Time (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2010-04-11-military-going-green_N.htm

Wrap Session - Is Plastic Wrap Greener than Aluminum Foil? (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2250001/?from=rss

Across the State of Oregon Creeks, Buttes, And Peaks Need New Names (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/7134-across-state-creeks-buttes-and-peaks-need-new-names/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Chief Julius Genachowski Faces Broadband Dilemma (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2010-04-13-broadband13_ST_N.htm?csp=34

Google on Net Neutrality, Its Fiber Buildout & Cloud (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/04/12/google-on-net-neutrality-its-fiber-buildout-and-cloud/

Ex-Employees Turn to Cyber Crime after Layoffs (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011588615_cybercrime14.html

Twitter to Have Paid Tweets Show Up in Searches (Associated Press)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14874130

Google Documents Get an Upgrade (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14855265

MIT - Building a Wireless Network out of Junk (Nat’l Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125866561&ft=1&f=2

Microsoft Unveils New Consumer Phones (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=308453

A Google Tablet Could be Good News for Adobe (NY Times)

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/a-google-tablet-could-be-good-news-for-adobe/?partner=rss&emc=rss

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington State Lawmakers Pass Budget, Adjourn Special Session (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Washington-state-lawmakers-pass-budget-adjourn-special-session-90737439.html

Over Pot Charge - Olympia City Council Member Hyer to Plead Guilty to Felony (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/12/1203870/hyer-to-plead-guilty-to-felony.html

Majority Leader Kessler to Retire from Washington State House (Associated Press)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/04/13/1145897/state-house-majority-leader-kessler.html

GENERAL NEWS

Ex-WaMu CEO Defends Bank’s Actions before Failure (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011593229_apuswashingtonmutualinvestigation1stld.html?syndication=rss

Griswold Family Lets Claim Against Pierce County Stand (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/04/13/1204360/griswold-family-lets-claim-against.html

Hoquiam Man, Larry Pearson, Still in Custody a Day After 44-Mile, High Speed Chase (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100411/NEWS/304119981

Two Arrested in Attempted Copper Theft from Mercer Construction Site (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011593449_theft14m.html?syndication=rss

Starbucks Offering Free Coffee Thursday to Customers with Reusable Tumblers (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Starbucks-offering-free-coffee-Thurs-to-customers-with-reusable-tumblers-90746534.html

Student Texting Interrupts Speech by Holocaust Survivor, in Latest Incident of Tech-Driven Rudeness (Finding Duclinea)

http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/2010/Has-Technology-Given-People-an-Excuse-for-Rudeness--.html

Ringo Starr Unmoved by Vatican Praise for Beatles (NY Times)

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/ringo-unmoved-by-vatican-praise-for-beatles/?partner=rss&emc=rss

DIVERSIONS

Iowa Teen to Wear Bubble Gum Wrapper Dress to Prom

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14869021

Cat Awarded for Using Paw to Warn of Gas Leak

http://www.examiner.com/a-2574445~Cat_awarded_for_using_paw_to_warn_of_gas_leak.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

Giant Misspelling: Jersey Says ‘San Francicso’

http://www.kirotv.com/sports/23084041/detail.html

First Chinese Singers Fined for Lip-Synching

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63B4JQ20100412

SONG OF THE DAY

Marc Cohn - Listening to Levon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyLvo2CrkQY