Energy News Digest for June 1, 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

Drenching Storm Moving In from Pacific (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/weather/23754703/detail.html

Solar Program to Pay Oregonians Premium Rates for Power They Generated - Paid by higher utility bills “…payments as high as 65 cents a kilowatt hour…for the energy they generate & use themselves…” (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/05/solar_program_to_pay_oregonian.html

News Tribune Editorial - Bum Raps for Shelton’s Wood-Biomass Project

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/05/28/1204028/bum-raps-for-sheltons-wood-biomass.html

Wenatchee - Strike Talk in the Air at Alcoa (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/may/28/strike-talk-in-the-air-at-alcoa/

US Senate Directs $10 Million to Help Drought-Stricken Farmers in Klamath Basin (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/05/drought-stricken_klamath_basin.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Wenatchee - Strike Talk in the Air at Alcoa

·         Grant PUD to Cut Budget by More than $15 Million

·         Tacoma: Lights Out for 4 Hours in North, West Areas

·         Avista Corporation; Et Al. Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative; Et al., v. Bonneville Power Administration

·         British Columbia - Stalled Hydropower Project Headed to Courtroom

·         Official Says China Clean Energy Goal Will Require Hydro Projects

·         Oregon - Energy Spotlight: Douglas Electric Connects

·         North Dakota - Power Line Project Begins

·         Poles Up for Washington Linemen Rodeo

·         Chinook Season Transforms Little Salmon River into a Small City

·         Fish Invaders Causing Dramatic Downturn in Birds at Eastern Oregon Refuge

·         Famed Fishmonger at Pike Place Fish Market Plans a Sea Change

·         Louisiana - Grand Island’s Trout Rodeo is Victim of Spill, & That’s Not the Least of It

·         Vancouver Columbian Editorial - A Cleaner Columbia

·         US Senate Directs $10 Million to Help Drought-Stricken Farmers in Klamath Basin

·         Sewer for Carlsborg Coming, But What Will it Cost Landowners

·         Manure Smells Like Trouble at Two Oregon Dairies

·         Newport Sets Date for NOAA Groundbreaking

·         Solar Program to Pay Oregonians Premium Rates for Power They Generated

·         ADAGE Officials Answer Questions about Shelton Biomass Plant

·         Mason County Forum Discusses Soot in Air from Wood-Fired Power Plant

·         News Tribune Editorial - Bum Raps for Shelton’s Wood-Biomass Project

·         Florida Public Service Commission Advances Gainesville Biomass Plant

·         Georgia Wood Waste Plant to Generate Alternative Energy for Coweta Customers

·         With Biomass, Green And Not-So-Green Lines Blur

·         Grays Harbor PUD to Reconsider Radar Ridge Wind Farm Choice at Special Meeting

·         PenLight’s Wind Farm is Generating Green Power

·         Oregon Wind Farm Violates State Noise Regulations

·         New Power Sales Keep Wind Turbines Spinning

·         Wind: British Columbia’s Untapped Power Source

·         Port of Olympia - Ready to Harness the Wind: Blades Leave Port for Eastern Washington

·         Geothermal Developer Ram Power Plans to Buy Sierra

·         Longview Daily News Editorial - Mandate Is the Wrong Way Accelerate Move to Renewable Energy

·         Vermont: Bennington Banner Editorial – Energy Alternatives Work, With a Federal Boost

·         Garbage a Clean, Reliable, Sustainable Fuel to Burn into Energy

·         Thurston County - Incentives to Repair That Leaky Home

·         Microsoft’s Hohm Website Helps Increase Energy Efficiency

·         Energy Harvesting Kites to Generate 1 MW of Electricity

·         Iowa Plant Now Making Ethanol from Old Cardboard Boxes

·         Jobs in the State Are Green & Getting Greener

·         Four Out of Five Broadband Users Don’t Know Kinds of Speeds They Get

·         Report Says Google to Phase Out Microsoft Windows Use

·         New Taxes Begin on Candy, Beer, Bottled Water

·         Investigators: KING 5 Investigation Leads to Freeze on Ferry Fare Increases

·         Vancouver Columbian Op/Ed - Public Employee Pensions Are a Ticking Time Bomb

·         Cowlitz PUD Commissioner Will Run for County Treasurer

·         Drenching Storm Moving In from Pacific

·         Stimulus, China Demand Help Timber Market

·         Puyallup Tribal Activist Wants Mt. Rainier Renamed

·         BP Turns to Next Attempt After Top Kill Fails

·         BP Shares Plunge after Failure to Contain Oil Spill

·         Auburn Man Killed Wrestling with Fishing Buddy in Grant County

·         Alaska Firefighters Muster Resources to Combat Growing Fires

·         Major Canadian Cities Affected by Wood Smoke

·         Geocachers Victims of ‘Geo-Smashers’

WORD OF THE DAY

Mephitic • \meh-FIT-ick\ • - Of, relating to, or resembling mephitis: foul-smelling

The basketball coach was disgusted by his star player’s hygienic shortcomings. The mephitic stench wafting from the all-league center’s shoes at the end of the season tripped sensors at the airport as the team was on its way to the championship tournament…nearly derailing a dream season.

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

Wenatchee - Strike Talk in the Air at Alcoa (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/may/28/strike-talk-in-the-air-at-alcoa/

Grant PUD to Cut Budget by More than $15 Million (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses lake, WA)

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2010/05/28/news/doc4c00213e2aa38886736975.txt

Tacoma: Lights Out for 4 Hours in North, West Areas (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/01/1208150/tacoma-lights-out-for-4-hours.html

Avista Corporation; Et Al. Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative; Et al., v. Bonneville Power Administration (Leagle)

http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100527227

British Columbia - Stalled Hydropower Project Headed to Courtroom; Klinaklini River proponents say Liberals broke promise (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/Stalled+power+project+headed+courtroom/3087215/story.html

Official Says China Clean Energy Goal Will Require Hydro Projects (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64U0PX20100531

Oregon - Energy Spotlight: Douglas Electric Connects (The News-Review, Roseville, OR)

http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20100530/GUESTCOLUMNS/100529726/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

North Dakota - Power Line Project Begins (Williston Herald, ND)

http://www.willistonherald.com/articles/2010/05/29/news/doc4c019956ca874676815939.txt

Poles Up for Washington Linemen Rodeo (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/may/28/poles-up/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Chinook Season Transforms Little Salmon River into a Small City (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/05/29/1454976/chinook-season-transforms-little.html

Fish Invaders Causing Dramatic Downturn in Birds at Eastern Oregon Refuge (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/fish_invaders_are_eating_birds.html

Famed Fishmonger at Pike Place Fish Market Plans a Sea Change (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011987644_fish30m.html

Louisiana - Grand Island’s Trout Rodeo is Victim of Spill, & That’s Not the Least of It (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/29/us/29scene.html?th&emc=th

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Vancouver Columbian Editorial - A Cleaner Columbia; New river restoration act holds promise for removing pollutants from vital waterway

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/may/30/a-cleaner-columbia/

US Senate Directs $10 Million to Help Drought-Stricken Farmers in Klamath Basin (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/05/drought-stricken_klamath_basin.html

Sewer for Carlsborg Coming, But What Will it Cost Landowners (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.konp.com/local/5819

Manure Smells Like Trouble at Two Oregon Dairies (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/05/post_15.html

Newport Sets Date for NOAA Groundbreaking (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/05/24/daily40.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Solar Program to Pay Oregonians Premium Rates for Power They Generated - Paid by higher utility bills “…payments as high as 65 cents a kilowatt hour…for the energy they generate & use themselves…” (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/05/solar_program_to_pay_oregonian.html

ADAGE Officials Answer Questions about Shelton Biomass Plant - Audio Now Available (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2269-adage-officials-answer-questions-about-biomass-plant

Mason County Forum Discusses Soot in Air from Wood-Fired Power Plant - Impacts small, says toxicologist (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/05/29/1254312/forum-discusses-soot-in-air-from.html

News Tribune Editorial - Bum Raps for Shelton’s Wood-Biomass Project

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/05/28/1204028/bum-raps-for-sheltons-wood-biomass.html

Florida Public Service Commission Advances Gainesville Biomass Plant (Sunshine State News, Tallahassee, FL)

http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/psc-advances-gainesville-biomass-plant

Georgia Wood Waste Plant to Generate Alternative Energy for Coweta Customers (Newnan Times Herald, GA)

http://www.times-herald.com/local/N-Ga-wood-waste-plant-to-generate-alternative-energy-for-Coweta-customers-11784

With Biomass, Green And Not-So-Green Lines Blur - Wisconsin power projects spark questions about emissions from biomass vs. fossil fuels (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, WI)

http://www.jsonline.com/business/95160769.html

Grays Harbor PUD to Reconsider Radar Ridge Wind Farm Choice at Special Meeting (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/05/27/local_news/doc4bfeb3d80a9cf376049848.txt

PenLight’s Wind Farm is Generating Green Power (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/may/28/pen-light-generates-wind-power/

Oregon Wind Farm Violates State Noise Regulations (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/7457-oregon-wind-farm-violates-state-noise-regulations/

New Power Sales Keep Wind Turbines Spinning - Wind farms now sell additional energy instead of idling turbines (Bonneville Power Administration)

http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/570063/

Wind: British Columbia’s Untapped Power Source - Developers need to export electricity to thrive & California is providing the most positive feedback (Vancouver Sun, BC)

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Wind+untapped+power+source/3090760/story.html

Port of Olympia - Ready to Harness the Wind: Blades Leave Port for Eastern Washington (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/05/29/1254327/ready-to-harness-the-wind.html

Geothermal Developer Ram Power Plans to Buy Sierra (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN319984120100531

Longview Daily News Editorial - Mandate Is the Wrong Way Accelerate Move to Renewable Energy

http://tdn.com/news/opinion/article_a75086fc-6aac-11df-85ab-001cc4c002e0.html

Vermont: Bennington Banner Editorial – Energy Alternatives Work, With a Federal Boost

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/opinion/ci_15186131

Garbage a Clean, Reliable, Sustainable Fuel to Burn into Energy - Landfills cheaper, but they make methane (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/05/30/1206271/garbage-a-clean-reliable-sustainable.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Thurston County - Incentives to Repair That Leaky Home; Program Examines House’s Efficiency (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/06/01/1256595/incentives-to-repair-that-leaky.html

Microsoft’s Hohm Website Helps Increase Energy Efficiency (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/environment/2010-05-26-microsoft-hohm_N.htm?csp=34tech

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Energy Harvesting Kites to Generate 1 MW of Electricity (Green Packs)

http://www.greenpacks.org/2010/06/01/energy-harvesting-kites-to-generate-1-mw-of-electricity/

Iowa Plant Now Making Ethanol from Old Cardboard Boxes (Earth & Industry)

http://earthandindustry.com/2010/05/iowa-plant-now-making-ethanol-from-old-cardboard-boxes/

Jobs in the State Are Green & Getting Greener (Snohomish County Business Journal)

http://www.snohomishcountybusinessjournal.com/article/20100527/SCBJ02/705279987/-1/SCBJ

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Four Out of Five Broadband Users Don’t Know Kinds of Speeds They Get (Washington Post)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/06/four_out_of_five_broadband_use.html

Report Says Google to Phase Out Microsoft Windows Use (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6501P420100601

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

New Taxes Begin on Candy, Beer, Bottled Water (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/news/23515729/detail.html

Investigators: KING 5 Investigation Leads to Freeze on Ferry Fare Increases (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Investigators--95312459.html

Vancouver Columbian Op/Ed - Public Employee Pensions Are a Ticking Time Bomb

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/jun/01/public-employee-pensions-are-a-ticking-time-bomb/

Cowlitz PUD Commissioner Will Run for County Treasurer (Longview Daily News, WA)

http://tdn.com/news/local/98458d94-6ac8-11df-af0b-001cc4c002e0.html

GENERAL NEWS

Drenching Storm Moving In from Pacific (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.kirotv.com/weather/23754703/detail.html

Stimulus, China Demand Help Timber Market (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12571022

Puyallup Tribal Activist Wants Mt. Rainier Renamed (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/95230584.html

BP Turns to Next Attempt After Top Kill Fails (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011982529_apusgulfoilspill.html

BP Shares Plunge after Failure to Contain Oil Spill (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6430AR20100601

Auburn Man Killed Wrestling with Fishing Buddy in Grant County (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/06/01/1208468/auburn-man-killed-wrestling-with.html

Alaska Firefighters Muster Resources to Combat Growing Fires (Fairbanks Daily News Miner, AK)

http://newsminer.com/bookmark/7756953-Alaska-wildfire-season-off-to-big-start

Major Cities Affected by Wood Smoke - Crews Making Progress against Quebec Forest Fires (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Quebec+forest+fires+shrouds+Montreal+Ottawa+smoke+smog/3091957/story.html

Geocachers Victims of ‘Geo-Smashers’ (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Geocachers-victims-of-geo-smashers-95281104.html

DIVERSIONS

Pair Born Same Day in Same Hospital to Wed

http://www.kirotv.com/family/23747687/detail.html

Toronto Police Say Beware of Poo-Spraying Thieves

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Beware+spraying+thieves+Toronto+Police/3083723/story.html

Meteorite Found Along Oregon Road Estimated at 4.5 Billion Years Old

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Meteorite-found-along-Ore-road-estimated-at-45-billion-years-old-95222724.html

Driver Adding Sugar to Coffee Plunges Into Oregon River

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Driver-adding-sugar-to-coffee-plunges-into-Ore-river-95191729.html

SONG OF THE DAY

The Archies - Sugar Sugar

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYxDzu0XMx8&NR=1