Energy News Digest for July 19, 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

Memoranda - Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities V. Bonneville Power Administration - Petitioners seek a ruling that the Tiered Rate Methodology Record of Decision be vacated & this case remanded for further proceedings (Leagle)

http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100716156

Federal License Issued for Cushman Hydroelectric Dams (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jul/16/license-issued-for-cushman-dams/

Too Much of a Good Thing: Growth in Wind Power Makes Life Difficult for Grid Managers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/07/too_much_of_a_good_thing_growt.html

Formal Applications Accepted for Controversial Mason County Power Plant (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jul/16/formal-applications-accepted-for-controversial/

Port Townsend Paper Seeks Comment on Biomass ‘Clean’ Power Plan (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100719/NEWS/307199996/port-townsend-paper-seeks-comment-on-biomass-clean-power-plan

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Memoranda - Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities V. Bonneville Power Administration

·         Ferndale’s Three Major Manufacturers Staying Busy during Recession: Intalco Still Waiting on a Longer-Term Power Deal

·         Federal License Issued for Cushman Hydroelectric Dams

·         Montana Supreme Court Sides Against Power Plant

·         Too Much of a Good Thing: Growth in Wind Power Makes Life Difficult for Grid Managers

·         Groups Shine Light on Transmission Issue

·         Up in the Air - Bonneville Power Administration Moves Transmission Lines

·         Montana - Outages Frustrate Business Owners

·         Alaska – State Commission Green-Lights Alaska Electric Light & Power Rate Hike

·         Op/Ed – Alaska’s Homer Electric Hydro Project Risks Kenai River’s Health

·         Texas - Firing of Pedernales Electric Coop GM Pedernales Recharges Lawmakers’ Initiative

·         New Mexico - Attorneys Prepare for Legal Battle at the Socorro Electric Cooperative

·         After Years of Rebuilding, Most Afghans Lack Power – Well, Electricity Actually

·         Puget Sound Energy Claims Baker River Fish Projects Are Working

·         Baker Lake to Hold Its First-Ever Sockeye Fishery

·         Report: Mussel Invasion in Upper Snake Likely

·         Fish at Risk - Environmental Groups Settle FEMA Flood Insurance Lawsuit

·         Canadian Environment Groups Object to Eco-Certification of Sockeye Salmon

·         Connecticut Oyster Industry Could Benefit from Gulf Woes

·         Chehalis River Flood Panel Votes to Move Forward

·         Formal Applications Accepted for Controversial Mason County Power Plant

·         Port Townsend Paper Seeks Comment on Biomass ‘Clean’ Power Plan

·         Oregon County Welcomes Biomass Plant

·         Biomass Power Plants Wary of EPA Carbon Accounting

·         Partnership Plans Northeast Biomass Developmen

·         Dispute Between Duke, Environmental Groups over Wood Fuel Asks: What’s Renewable?

·         Snohomish PUD Helps Pay if You Go Solar

·         Tax-Break Reversal Leaves Florida Solar Power Owners in the Dark

·         Oregon - Meeting Set on Renewable Energy Standards

·         Oregon - Environmental Study Says Wind Projects Wouldn’t Ruin Steens Mountain Beauty

·         Colorado - Wind Power’s Big Blades Can Mask Radar

·         Gas-powered Motors on Wind Turbines?

·         Maine - From Swords into Ploughshares

·         Funding Cuts Will Finish Britain’s Clean Energy Race

·         United Kingdom - Tidal Power Testing Zone to Boost Renewables Firms

·         Texas - Impact of Home Energy Audit Rule Less Than Expected

·         Baltimore Gas & Electric to Test Enhanced Bills to Encourage Efficiency

·         Utilities & Environmentalists Haggle over Climate Bill

·         Ad Blitz Accompanies Senate Push on Climate, Energy

·         Alaskan Glacier Detaches Itself from Seafloor, Goes Rogue

·         New Hampshire - Group Aims to Heat More with Wood

·         Op/Ed - Our Energy Choices Will be Made Well & Wisely if We Have All the Information

·         Grid Sets Electric Cars’ Green Standard

·         Editorial - Electric Cars & the ‘Clean Energy’ Myth

·         California’s Pioneering E-Waste Program a Model Gone Wrong

·         Editorial - New Ways to Accelerate Green Energy & Jobs

·         Bye-Bye Batteries: Radio Waves as a Low-Power Source

·         Call Center Adding 250 Workers in Bremerton to Serve Cellular Carrier

·         The Future of Broadband Is Here Today – And You’re Going to Miss It

·         Telco Lobby Loses its Best Stats as the U.S. Falls in Broadband Ranking

·         Five Washington State Ballot Measures Could End Up in Court

·         State Claims 89% Error Rate on One Gatherer’s I-1098 Petitions

·         Editorial - Puget Sound Region’s Cascade Agenda is a National Model for Managing Growth

·         Editorial - Transparency Lacking in Library Board Deliberations

·         Cities Rent Police, Janitors to Save Cash

·         Plan to Turn off Streetlights Tops Tonight’s Shelton City Commission Meeting

·         Shelton’s Only Cemetery May Close Without Tax Increase

·         Fire Rages through Yakima Threatening Homes, Crops & Property

·         ‘Flawed’ Pension Report Should Get an Obscenity Rating

·         Master Builders Chapter Sues State Association

·         For Walla Walla Sweet Onions, the Smell of Successful Year

WORD OF THE DAY

Flotsam • \FLAWT-sum\ • noun - 1: floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo; broadly: floating debris2a: a floating population (as of emigrants or castaways) b: miscellaneous or unimportant material c: debris or remains

Jetsam • \JETT-sum\ • noun - The part of a ship, its equipment, or its cargo that is cast overboard to lighten the load in time of distress and that sinks or is washed ashore

The foaming white surf hissed its way up the gently sloping tropical beach, the golden sand mixing with the emerald blue water…belying the tragic shipwreck that flung the survivors of the HMS “Pandora” upon its shores. The flotsam and jetsam from the ill-fated ship tumbled past the exhausted sailors, who crawled ashore in the aftermath of the vessel’s unfortunate collision with the protective reefs around the island paradise.

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

Memoranda - Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities V. Bonneville Power Administration - Petitioners seek a ruling that the Tiered Rate Methodology Record of Decision be vacated & this case remanded for further proceedings (Leagle)

http://www.leagle.com/unsecure/page.htm?shortname=infco20100716156

Link on above memoranda at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (PDF File)

http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/memoranda/2010/07/16/09-70290.pdf

Ferndale’s Three Major Manufacturers Staying Busy during Recession: Intalco Still Waiting on a Longer-Term Power Deal (Bellingham Herald, WA)

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/07/18/1529108/ferndales-three-major-manufacturers.html

Federal License Issued for Cushman Hydroelectric Dams (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jul/16/license-issued-for-cushman-dams/

Montana Supreme Court Sides Against Power Plant (Associated Press)

http://www.examiner.com/a-2731137~Supreme_Court_sides_against_power_plant.html

Too Much of a Good Thing: Growth in Wind Power Makes Life Difficult for Grid Managers (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/07/too_much_of_a_good_thing_growt.html

Groups Shine Light on Transmission Issue (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2010/07/groups_shine_light_on_transmission_issue.html

Up in the Air - Bonneville Power Administration Moves Transmission Lines (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12821728

Montana - Outages Frustrate Business Owners (Billings Gazette, MT)

http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_ba42adde-915e-11df-b646-001cc4c03286.html

Alaska – State Commission Green-Lights Alaska Electric Light & Power Rate Hike (Juneau Empire, AK)

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/071810/loc_677674774.shtml

Op/Ed – Alaska’s Homer Electric Hydro Project Risks Kenai River’s Health (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2010/07/17/1371000/homer-electric-risks-kenai-rivers.html

Texas - Firing of Pedernales Electric Coop GM Pedernales Recharges Lawmakers’ Initiative “…We created Pedernales…We can uncreate it…” (Austin American Statesman, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/pedernales-firing-recharges-lawmakers-initiative-808819.html

New Mexico - Attorneys Prepare for Legal Battle at the Socorro Electric Cooperative (El Defensor Chieftain, Socorro, NM)

http://www.dchieftain.com/dc/index.php/news/1730-attorneys-prepare-for-legal-battle.html

After Years of Rebuilding, Most Afghans Lack Power – Well, Electricity Actually (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hDJgyE3Isc_5Ov_Z984xHAmLAG8QD9H1SSEO1

FISH & WILDLIFE

Puget Sound Energy Claims Baker River Fish Projects Are Working (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/PSE-Claims-Baker-River-Fish-Projects-Are-Working-98637209.html

Baker Lake to Hold Its First-Ever Sockeye Fishery (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2012378268_outn18.html

Report: Mussel Invasion in Upper Snake Likely; Economic Risk ‘Hundreds of Millions of Dollars’ (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/392639.aspx

Fish at Risk - Environmental Groups Settle FEMA Flood Insurance Lawsuit (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/9097-environmental-groups-settle-fema-flood-insurance-lawsuit/

Canadian Environment Groups Object to Eco-Certification of Sockeye Salmon (Examiner.com)

http://www.examiner.com/x-30428-Vancouver-Environmental-News-Examiner~y2010m7d16-Environment-groups-object-to-ecocertification-of-sockeye-salmon

Connecticut Oyster Industry Could Benefit from Gulf Woes (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012388293_apctgulfspillconnecticutoysters.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chehalis River Flood Panel Votes to Move Forward (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/07/17/1307219/chehalis-flood-panel-votes-to.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Formal Applications Accepted for Controversial Mason County Power Plant (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/jul/16/formal-applications-accepted-for-controversial/

Port Townsend Paper Seeks Comment on Biomass ‘Clean’ Power Plan (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100719/NEWS/307199996/port-townsend-paper-seeks-comment-on-biomass-clean-power-plan

Oregon County Welcomes Biomass Plant (Biomass Magazine)

http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3955

Biomass Power Plants Wary of EPA Carbon Accounting (Associated Press)

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-135/1279471410295610.xml

Partnership Plans Northeast Biomass Development (Worcester Business Journal, MA)

http://www.wbjournal.com/news46886.html

Dispute Between Duke, Environmental Groups over Wood Fuel Asks: What’s Renewable? (Charlotte Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/07/19/story13.html

Snohomish PUD Helps Pay if You Go Solar - The utility has incentives of up to $10,000 (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100719/NEWS01/707199883

Tax-Break Reversal Leaves Florida Solar Power Owners in the Dark (Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, FL)

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2010-07-16/story/tax-break-reversal-leaves-florida-solar-power-owners-dark

Oregon - Meeting Set on Renewable Energy Standards: Eligible resources include wind, geothermal, biomass, solar, wave, tidal, ocean thermal, small-scale hydroelectric, & hydrogen (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20100717/UPDATE/100717010/-1/update

Oregon - Environmental Study Says Wind Projects Wouldn’t Ruin Steens Mountain Beauty (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2010/07/environmental_study_says_wind_projects_wouldnt_ruin_steens_mountain_beauty.html

Colorado - Wind Power’s Big Blades Can Mask Radar: Researchers on a quest to solve problem (Denver Post, CO)

http://www.denverpost.com/ci_15535618

Gas-powered Motors on Wind Turbines? (Health News Digest)

http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Environment_380/Gas-powered_Motors_on_Wind_Turbines.shtml

Maine - From Swords into Ploughshares: Deal under way to turn Cold War-era radar site into possible wind farm (Morning Sentinel, Waterville, ME)

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/from-swords-into-ploughshares_2010-07-03.html

Funding Cuts Will Finish Britain’s Clean Energy Race - The UK is losing out to countries with poorer natural resources but greater willingness to invest (The Guardian, UK)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2010/jul/19/funding-cuts-low-carbon-technologies

United Kingdom - Tidal Power Testing Zone to Boost Renewables Firms (Wales Online, UK)

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/2010/07/17/tidal-power-testing-zone-to-boost-renewables-firms-91466-26871005/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Texas - Impact of Home Energy Audit Rule Less Than Expected: Number of upgrades far below city goal; fears about effect on sales appear overblown (Austin Statesman, TX)

http://www.statesman.com/business/impact-of-home-energy-audit-rule-less-than-807664.html

Baltimore Gas & Electric to Test Enhanced Bills to Encourage Efficiency (Baltimore Sun, MD)

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/consuminginterests/blog/2010/07/bge_utility_testing_enhanced_b.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Utilities & Environmentalists Haggle over Climate Bill (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/utilities-and-environmentalists-haggle-over-climate-bill/

Ad Blitz Accompanies Senate Push on Climate, Energy (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/07/16/16greenwire-ad-blitz-accompanies-senate-push-on-climate-en-88973.html

Alaskan Glacier Detaches Itself from Seafloor, Goes Rogue (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0716/Alaskan-glacier-detaches-itself-from-seafloor-goes-rogue

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

New Hampshire - Group Aims to Heat More with Wood: Goal behind new subsidy of whole-house pellet boilers: Switch from an imported fuel to one that’s literally grown next door (Nashua Telegraph, NH)

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/news/statenewengland/798583-227/group-aims-to-heat-more-with-wood.html

Op/Ed - Our Energy Choices Will be Made Well & Wisely if We Have All the Information (Burlington Free Press, VT)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100718/LIVING09/100716014/I-Believe-Our-energy-choices-will-be-made-well-and-wisely-if-we-have-all-the-information

Grid Sets Electric Cars’ Green Standard - When you drive an electric car in California, you’re not just driving on electricity; you’re driving on natural gas, nuclear power, hydropower & coal (SF Chronicle)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/18/BU0M1EF33T.DTL

Editorial - Electric Cars & the ‘Clean Energy’ Myth (Las Vegas Review-Journal, NV)

http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/electric-cars-and-the--clean-energy--myth-98696104.html?ref=104

California’s Pioneering E-Waste Program a Model Gone Wrong - The state has built a magnet for fraud totaling tens of millions of dollars, including illegal material smuggled in from out of state (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/18/2897609/californias-pioneering-e-waste.html

Editorial - New Ways to Accelerate Green Energy & Jobs (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/0716/New-ways-to-accelerate-green-energy-and-jobs

Bye-Bye Batteries: Radio Waves as a Low-Power Source (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/business/18novel.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Call Center Adding 250 Workers in Bremerton to Serve Cellular Carrier (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/07/19/newscolumn2.html

The Future of Broadband Is Here Today – And You’re Going to Miss It (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/07/18/the-future-of-broadband-is-here-today-–-and-you’re-going-to-miss-it/

Telco Lobby Loses its Best Stats as the U.S. Falls in Broadband Ranking (GigaOM)

http://gigaom.com/2010/07/19/telco-lobby-loses-its-best-stats-as-the-u-s-falls-in-broadband-ranking/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Five Washington State Ballot Measures Could End Up in Court (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100718/NEWS01/707189922/0/NEWS02

State Claims 89% Error Rate on One Gatherer’s I-1098 Petitions (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/98631264.html

Editorial - Puget Sound Region’s Cascade Agenda is a National Model for Managing Growth (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2012377224_peirce18.html

Editorial - Transparency Lacking in Library Board Deliberations (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/07/18/1307953/transparency-lacking-in-library.html

Cities Rent Police, Janitors to Save Cash (Wall Street Journal)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704334604575339153865582376.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

GENERAL NEWS

Plan to Turn off Streetlights Tops Tonight’s Shelton City Commission Meeting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2736-plan-to-turn-off-streetlights-tops-tonights-shelton-city-commission-meeting

Shelton’s Only Cemetery May Close Without Tax Increase (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Without-tax-increase-Sheltons-only-cemetery-could-close-98637264.html

Fire Rages through Yakima Threatening Homes, Crops & Property (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12830336

‘Flawed’ pension report should get an obscenity rating - The newly enacted financial reform bill does not break the tyranny of the credit-rating agencies, despite a last-minute plea by the Washington state Treasurer (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/jul/18/flawed-pension-report-should-get-an-obscenity/

Master Builders Chapter Sues State Association (Puget Sound Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2010/07/12/daily42.html

For Walla Walla Sweet Onions, the Smell of Successful Year (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012391834_onions19.html

DIVERSIONS

Oxygen Canister-Throwing Sailors Injured in Port Orchard Blast

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/18/1267881/port-orchard-canister-throwing.html

Mass. Releases 'Great Places' List; With Errors - Report Says Some Sites Don't Exist Anymore

http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/24307383/detail.html

200-Year-Old Bubbly Found In Baltic Wreck - Bottle Is Thought To Be World's Oldest Drinkable Champagne

http://www.kirotv.com/news/24294577/detail.html

Groom Gives Bride-To-Be Winning $250,000 Lottery Ticket

http://www.kirotv.com/money/24273381/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Hot Chocolate - Every 1's a Winner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzi6GmkGBXQ