The Energy News Digest: 08/04/10

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Energy News Digest for August 4, 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

Google’s Secret Thirst for Electrical Power - How much electricity does Google use to power its servers in the Dalles? (Oregon Business)

http://www.oregonbusiness.com/articles/89-august-2010/3861-googles-secret-thirst-for-power

PacifiCorp & Portland General Electric Team Up In Effort to Build New Power Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/08/pacificorp_and_pge_consider_bu.html

Neighbors Want to Vote on Shelton Biomass Facility (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Shelton-biomass-facility-public-vote-99877484.html

Aberdeen Lumber Mill Sells Biomass Electricity to Grays Harbor PUD (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/04/1325686/aberdeen-lumber-mill-sells-biomass.html

Belfair’s Fire Hydrants Now Under Lock & Key, to Fire Crews’ Dismay (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/99907239.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

· Google’s Secret Thirst for Electrical Power

· PacifiCorp & Portland General Electric Team Up In Effort to Build New Power Lines

· Suspected Drunken Driver Plows into Onalaska Power Station

· Clark Public Utility Commissioners Weigh Rate Hike

· Chelan PUD Sales Forecast Better But Still Bad

· Janney to Fill Top Spot at Chelan PUD

· August 17-18 – Planned Power Outage for Mason County PUD No. 3 Customers Served by Collins Lake & Union River Substations

· Oregon - Firm Begins Building Controversial Ruby Pipeline

· Pacific Gas & Electric’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 14%

· New Threat: Hackers Look to Take over Power Plants

· Feds Say Common Security Holes Leave Energy Grid Vulnerable

· Energy Bill a No-Go in the Senate

· Oregon Limits Dredges for Gold in Salmon Streams

· Lamprey Species Once Thought Extinct Returns to Oregon Lake

· Alaska’s Unique Dipnet Fishing Tradition Thrives

· Editorial - Oregon Lottery Proceeds: Should Parks, Salmon Always be First In Line?

· Sea Otter Population Declines 3.6 Percent Along California Coast

· NOAA Awards Puget Sound Algal Research

· Neighbors Want to Vote on Shelton Biomass Facility

· Mason County Biomass - Port of Shelton Releases Draft Leases with ADAGE

· Aberdeen Lumber Mill Sells Biomass Electricity to Grays Harbor PUD

· Port Townsend - Biomass energy meeting set Aug. 6-7

· Oregon Business Groups Unite to Save Incentives for Renewable Energy

· Oregon Coast Wave Energy Park Clears Hurdle

· Wind Turbine Prices Remain Low

· Oregon Community Develops Wind Farm

· BrightSource Solar Plant in Mojave Desert Clears California Hurdle

· Constellation Sells Stake in California Geothermal Plant

· Top Green Power Purchasers

· Op/Ed - New Energy Economy Requires New Uses of Our Public Lands

· Tracking the East Coast & West Coast NIMBY boundaries

· Electric Co-ops Launch Nationwide Smart Grid Demonstration Project

· Judge Orders Rewording of Initiative to Suspend California Climate Change Law

· EPA Left to Pick Up Climate Change Where Congress Dropped the Debate

· Western Climate Initiative - Big Guns in the Wild West

· Breeding Trees to be Better Biofuel

· Portland Advocates Tout Potential of $75 Million Sustainability Center

· Prison: Going Green Saves Green

· Intel Settles Claim That It Tried to Stifle Competition

· Qwest’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 26%; Land Lines Down 10.5%

· The Future of Broadband - in Tasmania

· No Special Session, for Now - Gregoire Says Fed Money Eases Budget

· State to Look at Agencies’ Overtime to Offset Day Off

· Washington House Dems to Wait on Simpson Chairmanship Decision

· Director of Washington State Prisons Retires

· Rep. McMorris Rodgers Announces She’s Pregnant

· Belfair’s Fire Hydrants Now Under Lock & Key, to Fire Crews’ Dismay

· Olympia City Hall Damage From Arson May Hit $3 Million

· Cooler Coastal Waters Could Mean Rougher Winter for Pacific Northwest

· Honolulu Wants Out of Deal to Ship Trash to Washington

· Rio Tinto’s Alcan Cable Unit Closing Oregon Plant

WORD OF THE DAY

Pulchritude • \PULL-kruh-tood\ • noun - Physical comeliness

All the men in the room heaved a dreamy sigh as Melanie paraded through the office. Besides being the nicest person you’d ever want to meet on this earth, her pulchritude was often a distraction to the opposite sex; which is why she was forbidden to visit the metal shop on the third floor.

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

Google’s Secret Thirst for Electrical Power - How much electricity does Google use to power its servers in the Dalles? (Oregon Business)

http://www.oregonbusiness.com/articles/89-august-2010/3861-googles-secret-thirst-for-power

PacifiCorp & Portland General Electric Team Up In Effort to Build New Power Lines (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/08/pacificorp_and_pge_consider_bu.html

Suspected Drunken Driver Plows into Onalaska Power Station (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Suspected-Drunken-Driver-Plows-into-Onal=1&blockID=283414&feedID=410

Clark Public Utility Commissioners Weigh Rate Hike (Vancouver Columbian, WA)

http://www.columbian.com/news/2010/aug/03/clark-utility-commissioners-weigh-rate-hike/

Chelan PUD Sales Forecast Better But Still Bad (Wenatchee World, WA – bad headline…bad…bad…)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/aug/03/chelan-pud-sales-forecast-better-but-still-bad/

Janney to Fill Top Spot at Chelan PUD (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/aug/03/janney-to-fill-top-spot-at-chelan-pud/

August 17-18 – Planned Power Outage for Mason County PUD No. 3 Customers Served by Collins Lake & Union River Substations (Mason County PUD No. 3)

http://www.masonpud3.org/Newsdisplay.aspx?NewsID=755

Oregon - Firm Begins Building Controversial Ruby Pipeline (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/10424-firm-begins-building-controversial-ruby-pipeline/

Pacific Gas & Electric’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 14% (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2010/08/02/daily61.html

New Threat: Hackers Look to Take over Power Plants (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012522905_apuscyberthreatspowerplants.html

Feds Say Common Security Holes Leave Energy Grid Vulnerable (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20012459-54.html?tag=nl.e703

Energy Bill a No-Go in the Senate (NY Times)

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/03/energy-bill-a-no-go-in-the-senate/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon Limits Dredges for Gold in Salmon Streams (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/03/1324698/oregon-tightens-permit-to-dredge.html

Lamprey Species Once Thought Extinct Returns to Oregon Lake (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/10439-lamprey-species-once-thought-extinct-returns-oregon-lake/

Alaska’s Unique Dipnet Fishing Tradition Thrives (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012530520_apusalaskadipnetters.html

Editorial - Oregon Lottery Proceeds: Should Parks, Salmon Always be First In Line? (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/08/should_parks_salmon_always_be.html

Sea Otter Population Declines 3.6 Percent Along California Coast (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_15668715

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

NOAA Awards Puget Sound Algal Research (Associated Press)

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

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Neighbors Want to Vote on Shelton Biomass Facility (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Shelton-biomass-facility-public-vote-99877484.html

Mason County Biomass - Port of Shelton Releases Draft Leases with ADAGE (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2889-port-of-shelton-releases-draft-leases-with-adage

Aberdeen Lumber Mill Sells Biomass Electricity to Grays Harbor PUD (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/04/1325686/aberdeen-lumber-mill-sells-biomass.html

Port Townsend - Biomass energy meeting set Aug. 6-7 (Port Townsend Leader, WA)

http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=27472

Oregon Business Groups Unite to Save Incentives for Renewable Energy (Sustainable Business Oregon)

http://www.sustainablebusinessoregon.com/articles/2010/08/businesses_oregon_renewable_incentives_need_overhaul.html

Oregon Coast Wave Energy Park Clears Hurdle (Portland Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2010/08/02/daily22.html

Wind Turbine Prices Remain Low (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/08/wind-turbine-prices-remain-low

Oregon Community Develops Wind Farm (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)

http://gazettetimes.com/news/state-and-regional/article_90381a9f-f140-523d-95df-5f7c6722b4b3.html

BrightSource Solar Plant in Mojave Desert Clears California Hurdle (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_15675800

Constellation Sells Stake in California Geothermal Plant (Baltimore Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2010/08/02/daily14.html

Top Green Power Purchasers (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/08/top-green-power-purchasers

Op/Ed - New Energy Economy Requires New Uses of Our Public Lands (Denver Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2010/01/25/focus3.html

Tracking the East Coast & West Coast NIMBY boundaries (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/08/tracking-the-east-coast-and-west-coast-nimby-boundaries

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Electric Co-ops Launch Nationwide Smart Grid Demonstration Project (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association)

http://www.nreca.coop/PressRoom/Releases/201008SmartGrid.htm

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Judge Orders Rewording of Initiative to Suspend California Climate Change Law (Sacramento Bee, CA)

http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/04/2934769/prop-23-ruling.html

EPA Left to Pick Up Climate Change Where Congress Dropped the Debate (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/03/AR2010080306366.html

Western Climate Initiative - Big Guns in the Wild West (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/08/big-guns-in-the-wild-west

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Breeding Trees to be Better Biofuel (Tyee)

http://thetyee.ca/News/2010/08/04/BreedingTrees/

Portland Advocates Tout Potential of $75 Million Sustainability Center (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/10442-advocates-tout-potential-75-million-sustainability-center/

Prison: Going Green Saves Green - Some of the biggest improvements have involved harnessing technology to increase efficiency (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)

http://union-bulletin.com/stories/2010/08/03/prison-going-green-saves-green

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Intel Settles Claim That It Tried to Stifle Competition (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/technology/05chip.html

Qwest’s Second Quarter Profit Drops 26%; Land Lines Down 10.5% (Denver Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2010/08/02/daily41.html

The Future of Broadband - in Tasmania (NY Times)

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/the-future-of-broadband-in-tasmania/

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

No Special Session, for Now - Gregoire Says Fed Money Eases Budget (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/aug/04/no-special-session-now/

State to Look at Agencies’ Overtime to Offset Day Off (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/04/1325063/state-to-look-at-agencies-overtime.html

Washington House Dems to Wait on Simpson Chairmanship Decision – He’s charged in a domestic dispute case (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/washington-house-democrats-wait-simpson-decision/

Director of Washington State Prisons Retires (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=7617

Rep. McMorris Rodgers Announces She’s Pregnant (Associated Press)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/03/1324420/rep-mcmorris-rodgers-announces.html

GENERAL NEWS

Belfair’s Fire Hydrants Now Under Lock & Key, to Fire Crews’ Dismay (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/99907239.html

Olympia City Hall Damage From Arson May Hit $3 Million – Months-long delay expected for new site to open while crews repair effects of smoke, soot (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/04/1325060/city-hall-damage-may-hit-3-million.html

Cooler Coastal Waters Could Mean Rougher Winter for Pacific Northwest (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1797

Honolulu Wants Out of Deal to Ship Trash to Washington (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012525379_honolulutrash04.html

Rio Tinto’s Alcan Cable Unit Closing Oregon Plant (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012520907_apusriotintoplantclosing.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Eastern Washington University to Start Installing Red Artificial Turf (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012530485_apfbcredturf.html

John Aylesworth, a ‘Hee-Haw’ Creator, Dies at 81

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/04/arts/television/04aylesworth.html