Energy News Digest for April 29, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Protest in Shelton over Proposed Biomass Plant (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1988-no-biomass-protest-in-shelton

Residents Concerned Bonneville Power Lines Will Hurt Property Values (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Residents-concerned-power-towers-will-decrease-property-values-92417514.html

Seattle City Light - Report Might Affect Plans to Expand Cedar River Sockeye Hatchery (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011729538_hatchery29m.html?syndication=rss

Massachusetts Cape Wind Gets Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gz8VVwo2TgZdHn9MmdvajJdSGq2QD9FCIFEG3

High Court Hears Washington State Arguments on Petitions & Privacy (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2010-04-28-court-privacy_N.htm

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Residents Concerned Bonneville Power Lines Will Hurt Property Values

·         Idaho Power Company’s Line Route 1/2 Mile from Oregon Trail Interpretive

·         New York Power Subsidy Program for Businesses Faces End

·         New York - ‘Theft’? Loss of Cheap Power at Issue

·         Nuclear Regulatory Commission Panel Delays Deadline on Yucca Mountain

·         Chelan PUD’s Annual Report Online

·         PPL to Acquire E.On Kentucky Utilities for $6.7B

·         DTE Energy Offers Farm Safety Tips

·         Seattle City Light - Report Might Affect Plans to Expand Cedar River Sockeye Hatchery

·         WA Salmon: Swimming Upstream?

·         Bring Binoculars & Boots, The Shorebird Migration Begins

·         Leaking Oil Threatens Gulf Coast Delicacy: Oysters

·         Environmental Issues Worsen in Gulf Spill

·         F. E. Dominy, Who Harnessed Water in the American West, Is Dead at 100

·         Protest in Shelton over Proposed Biomass Plant

·         Massachusetts Cape Wind Gets Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down

·         Cape Wind Wind (sic) Farm Approved

·         Cape Cod Residents Don’t Expect One Ruling on Wind Power to End Long Fight

·         Boston Globe - Cape Wind Reaction: ‘America Needs All the Clean Electrons It Can Get’

·         Oregon County Judge Asks Community to Unite for Wind Projects

·         Wind Turbine Blade Maker to Lay off Third of Work Force at South Dakota Plant

·         Vestas Wind Posts $108 Million Loss

·         Vestas CEO Bets on Surging US Wind Demand

·         Kansas - Wind Farm Insiders Accused of Shenanigans

·         Policy Needs to Support Clean Tech, Speaker Tells Snohomish County Leaders

·         Solar-Powered Concert, Thanks to Franklin County PUD, Set at Columbia Basin College

·         Why Are Windmills Always White? And Why Do They Always Have Three Blades?

·         Patriot News Op/Ed - Getting Rid of Old ‘Energy Hogs’ Saves Costs, Electricity

·         Seattle Times Op/Ed - Federal Climate Legislation Is Needed Now

·         Q&A: Vying for a Role as United Nations Climate Chief

·         First Sewage-Powered Hydro-Electric Plant in Australia

·         Floating Free Above The Grid

·         Okanogan PUD Lowers Rates for Internet Providers

·         Seattle Times Columnist - FCC “Open Internet” Forum in Seattle Draws a Few Minor Jabs, Cheers

·         Denial of Service - Don’t believe the telecoms. Broadband access in the United States is even worse than you think

·         Even Through a Recession, We Want Our Web

·         Pending Incentives Could Lure Data Centers to Missouri

·         Wyoming - ‘Fiber’ Being Burrowed in Cody

·         Hewlett-Packard to Buy Palm for $1.2 Billion

·         Lobbyists Rev Up over US Agenda

·         Federal Reserve Keeps Federal Funds Rate Unchanged

·         High Court Hears Washington State Arguments on Petitions & Privacy

·         Weyerhaeuser Narrows 1Q Loss with Land Sales

·         Man Charged With Illegal Salvage of Columbia River Logs Seeks Dismissal

·         Radioactive Material in Scrapyard in India Kills One Person

·         Astronomers Find Loads of Ice on Big Asteroid

WORD OF THE DAY

Incubus • \INN-kyuh-buss\ • - 1: an evil spirit that lies on persons in their sleep 2: nightmare 3: one that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare

“May you live in interesting times,” was the benediction from the elderly Chinese priest to the inattentive occidental tourist. The traveler didn’t get the meaning at first. However, after losing his luggage in Nanking; losing his fortune in a Hong Kong casino; and losing his tonsils in Canton, the parting phrase began to prey on the tourist’s mind like an incubus…pushing him close to the edge of snapping his reason.

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

Residents Concerned Bonneville Power Lines Will Hurt Property Values (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Residents-concerned-power-towers-will-decrease-property-values-92417514.html

Idaho Power Company’s Line Route 1/2 Mile from Oregon Trail Interpretive (Baker City Herald, OR)

http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Idaho-Power-line-route-1/2-mile-from-Trail-Center

New York Power Subsidy Program for Businesses Faces End (Associated Press)

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/04/29/business-financial-impact-us-power-subsidies-new-york_7560636.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews

New York - ‘Theft’? Loss of Cheap Power at Issue: Low-cost electricity that benefits western New York State may shift to statewide program for businesses (Buffalo News, NY)

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/04/29/1034389/theft-loss-of-cheap-power-at-issue.html

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Panel Delays Deadline on Yucca Mountain Ruling (Associated Press)

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/04/28/994034/nuclear-nrc-panel-delays-deadline.html

Chelan PUD’s Annual Report Online (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/apr/29/chelan-puds-annual-report-online/

PPL to Acquire E.On Kentucky Utilities for $6.7B (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011728369_apuspplkentuckyutilities.html?syndication=rss

DTE Energy Offers Farm Safety Tips (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=132575

FISH & WILDLIFE

Seattle City Light - Report Might Affect Plans to Expand Cedar River Sockeye Hatchery (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011729538_hatchery29m.html?syndication=rss

WA Salmon: Swimming Upstream? Businesspeople are asking Senators Maria Cantwell & Patty Murray to back a new approach to saving Columbia River salmon (Public News Service)

http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/13705-2

Bring Binoculars & Boots, The Shorebird Migration Begins (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Bring-binoculars-and-boots-the-shorebird-migration-begins--92358899.html

Leaking Oil Threatens Gulf Coast Delicacy: Oysters (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011730017_apuslouisianaoilrigexplosionoysters.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental Issues Worsen in Gulf Spill (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2010-04-29-oilspillupdate_N.htm

F. E. Dominy, Who Harnessed Water in the American West, Is Dead at 100 (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/us/29dominy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Protest in Shelton over Proposed Biomass Plant (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/1988-no-biomass-protest-in-shelton

Massachusetts Cape Wind Gets Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gz8VVwo2TgZdHn9MmdvajJdSGq2QD9FCIFEG3

Cape Wind Wind (sic) Farm Approved (Cape Cod Times, MA)

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100429/NEWS/100429748/-1/NEWSMAP

Cape Cod Residents Don’t Expect One Ruling on Wind Power to End Long Fight (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/science/earth/29cape.html?src=mv

Boston Globe - Cape Wind Reaction: ‘America Needs All the Clean Electrons It Can Get’

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/greenblog/2010/04/reaction_to_the_cape_wind_appr.html

Oregon County Judge Asks Community to Unite for Wind Projects (Burns Times Herald, Or)

http://burnstimesherald.info/2010/04/28/county-judge-asks-community-to-unite-for-wind-projects/

Wind Turbine Blade Maker to Lay off Third of Work Force at South Dakota Plant (Associated Press)

http://www.latimes.com/business/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-us-wind-turbine-plant-layoffs,0,5972243.story

Vestas Wind Posts $108 Million Loss (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/04/26/daily24.html

Vestas CEO Bets on Surging US Wind Demand (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63R6HX20100428

Kansas - Wind Farm Insiders Accused of Shenanigans (Courthouse News Service)

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/04/29/26813.htm

Policy Needs to Support Clean Tech, Speaker Tells Snohomish County Leaders (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100428/BIZ/100429843/1005/biz

Solar-Powered Concert, Thanks to Franklin County PUD, Set at Columbia Basin College (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/04/28/1166355/solar-powered-concert-tree-planting.html

Why Are Windmills Always White? And Why Do They Always Have Three Blades? (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2252255/?from=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Patriot News Op/Ed - Getting Rid of Old ‘Energy Hogs’ Saves Costs, Electricity

http://www.pennlive.com/editorials/index.ssf/2010/04/getting_rid_of_old_energy_hogs.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Federal Climate Legislation Is Needed Now

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2011688159_guest26kreidler.html

Q&A: Vying for a Role as United Nations Climate Chief (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/qa-vying-for-a-role-as-climate-chief/?partner=rss&emc=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

First Sewage-Powered Hydro-Electric Plant in Australia (Sydney Morning Herald)

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/first-sewagepowered-hydroelectric-plant-in-australia-20100429-tvd3.html

Floating free above the grid - This futuristic single-family home will stand 80 feet high, have wind turbines integrated into its frame & a shape to capture the breezes around it (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/Floating+free+above+grid/2661575/story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Okanogan PUD Lowers Rates for Internet Providers (Omak Chronicle, WA)

http://www.omakchronicle.com/nws/n100428b.shtml

Seattle Times Columnist - FCC “Open Internet” Forum in Seattle Draws a Few Minor Jabs, Cheers

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2011728928_fcc_open_internet_forum_in_sea.html?syndication=rss

Denial of Service - Don’t believe the telecoms. Broadband access in the United States is even worse than you think (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2252141/?from=rss

Even Through a Recession, We Want Our Web (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/04/28/even-through-a-recession-we-want-our-web/

Pending Incentives Could Lure Data Centers to Missouri (St. Louis Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/04/26/daily53.html

Wyoming - ‘Fiber’ Being Burrowed in Cody (Cody Enterprise, WY)

http://www.codyenterprise.com/articles/2010/04/28/news/doc4bd8a33c9ad9f497950902.txt

Hewlett-Packard to Buy Palm for $1.2 Billion (NY Times)

http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/h-p-to-buy-palm-for-1-2-billion/?partner=rss&emc=rss

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Lobbyists Rev Up over US Agenda - Lobbyists spent an average $305 million a month from January to March to influence policy this year — more than double the monthly rate of spending a decade ago (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-04-28-lobbying_N.htm

Federal Reserve Keeps Federal Funds Rate Unchanged (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/28/AR2010042801830.html?wprss=rss_business

GENERAL NEWS

High Court Hears Washington State Arguments on Petitions & Privacy (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2010-04-28-court-privacy_N.htm

What’s Your Sign? A Supreme Court Case From Washington State That Puts Scalia & Gay Rights Advocates On The Same Side (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2252251/?from=rss

Weyerhaeuser Narrows 1Q Loss with Land Sales (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011734036_apusearnsweyerhaeuser.html?syndication=rss

Man Charged With Illegal Salvage of Columbia River Logs Seeks Dismissal (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/article_201e000a-5342-11df-beff-001cc4c03286.html

Radioactive Material in Scrapyard in India Kills One Person (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011730459_apasindiaradioactivedeath.html?syndication=rss

Astronomers Find Loads of Ice on Big Asteroid (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011723351_apussciicyasteroid.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Bonsai Burglar Cleans out Richland Business

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2010/04/28/993984/theft-58-bonsai-trees-stolen-from.html

Fla. Cat Becomes Foster Mom to Bobcats

http://www.kirotv.com/news/23304633/detail.html

Crew Mistakenly Demolishes the Wrong House

http://www.kirotv.com/family/23296874/detail.html

Gas Jumps to More Than $9 in Alaska Town

http://www.kirotv.com/money/23292419/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Stray Cats - Stray Cat Strut

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6PFRea9Ihg