Energy News Digest for August 9, 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

Methow Power-Line Fight Turns into Washington State Supreme Court Showdown (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012573301_mckennagoldmark09m.html

New Port Angeles Plant Will Use Forest Biomass for Electricity “…Department of Natural Resources picked Nippon as one of four partners to use forest biomass from state lands for green energy projects…” (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/New-Port-Angeles-plant-will-use-forest-biomass-100231484.html

Streetlights on Shelton City Commission’s Agenda Monday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2913-streetlights-on-shelton-city-commissions-agenda-monday

Biologists Celebrate Strong Sockeye Return to Central Idaho Spawning Grounds (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=7638

Feds May Cut Columbia Basin Hatchery Production to Benefit Wild Fish (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/08/feds_may_cut_columbia_basin_ha.html

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         Methow Power-Line Fight Turns into Washington State Supreme Court Showdown

·         Canada - Ontario’s Cheap Power Advantage Is Gone, Says Industry

·         Editorial – Chelan PUD Wisely Stays the Course

·         Florida - Lee County Electric Cooperative Returns $7.6 Million to Customers

·         Global Warming Heats up a Nuclear Energy Renaissance

·         Gaza Power Plant Shuts Down Citing Lack of Fuel

·         Biologists Celebrate Strong Sockeye Return to Central Idaho Spawning Grounds

·         Feds May Cut Columbia Basin Hatchery Production to Benefit Wild Fish

·         Washington Turns to Private Funding to Operate Fish Hatcheries

·         Colville Tribes Again Funding State’s Fish Hatchery to Avoid Closure Due to Budget

·         Op/Ed - Summer Spill Harms Salmon, Adds Costs

·         Federal Flood Insurance Program Must Consider Salmon & Whales

·         Alaska Fishermen Battle Mammoth Mine Proposal

·         Maryland Seeks Haven to Refresh Oyster Habitat

·         Op/Ed - New Collaboration That Embraces Science & Tribal Knowledge Informs Marine Understanding

·         Boundaries Proposed for Carlsborg Sewer System

·         Kitsap PUD - Two Seek to Unseat Utility District Incumbent

·         Oregon Hits Lewis & Clark College with $77,927 Environmental Fine

·         New Port Angeles Plant Will Use Forest Biomass for Electricity

·         California - Biomass Plant Seeks Negotiation on Charges with Lassen Municipal Utility District

·         Concern over Mercury - Wood Chips May Pose Problems When Charter Street Plant Converts to Biomass

·         Mason County PUD 3 to Discuss Radar Ridge Tuesday

·         Bonneville Power Administration Launches Online Tool to Track Wind, Weather Data

·         Canada - Why Wind Power Is More Complicated Than People Imagine

·         New York - Bird, Bat Deaths Prompt Call for St. Lawrence Valley Wind Moratorium

·         EPA Releases Study on Aerojet Solar Array

·         Bioenergy from Wood Capable of Substituting for a Fifth of German Oil Use

·         Washington State Weatherization Programs: Jobs Up, Power Bills Down

·         Watt Meters at Lake Stevens Library Show How Much Juice You Are Using

·         Shining a Light on Electricity Savings - One Bulb at a Time

·         Appliance Makers Craft More Incentives for Energy Efficiency

·         Go Online for Help Going Green on Energy

·         Storm Clouds Gather in Climate Change Debate

·         Obama Gets a Menu of Climate Actions He Can Take Without Congress

·         US Changes Plan for Capturing Emissions from Coal

·         Giant Ice Island Breaks Off Greenland

·         Oxyburn - New Ways to Scrub Out the Carbon

·         Palo Alto Seeks New Direction in Solid Waste Power Plant

·         Green Living: Off the Grid Families Pioneer Sustainable Energy Lifestyles

·         Hopes Run High for Portland’s Ecoroofs

·         Finding New Life (and Profit) in Doomed Trees

·         Qwest CEO, CenturyLink Dispute Objections to Deal

·         Ookla’s Handy Tools Gauge Broadband Speeds

·         Coffee Shops Are Taking Wi-Fi Off the Menu

·         New York Sues LCD Screen ‘Cartel’ for Fixing Prices

·         Millions Stick With TV Antennas to Save Money

·         Battle Looms over Huge Costs of Public Pensions

·         Wheat’s Turning Golden after Russian Grain Export Ban

·         Streetlights on Shelton City Commission’s Agenda Monday

·         Washington Ferry System Buys Unusable Generators

·         $2.5 Million in Olympic National Park Projects

·         Oregon - Interior Department Okays Cascade Locks Casino

·         Man Pulled over in Tenino With Dead Body in Pickup

·         Belfair - ‘Farm at Water’s Edge’ Wants to Show Connection between Humans, Salmon

·         Habitat for Humanity Starts Recruitment for Belfair Store

·         Former Olympia Brewery Auction Gets Bid of $24.9 Million

·         British Columbia - Glacier Invades: Thousands Ordered to Leave Their Homes

·         Former Videographer for KCPQ-TV Accused of Stealing Expensive Cameras

·         Marijuana-Smoking Boy, 14, Suspected of Starting LA-Area Wildfire

WORD OF THE DAY

Festoon • \FESS-toon\ • noun or as a verb

NOUN 1: a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points 2: a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a decorative chain

VERB 1: to hang or form festoons on 2: to shape into festoons

Festooned with garlands of freshly picked garlic, the “Garlic Haus” at the fair was the most fragrant, and perhaps the least visited of the Grange’s displays. After three days, it was the most avoided site on the fairgrounds. On the fourth day, the “Twilight” re-enactors started  to complain that it gave them headaches and tingling teeth.

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

Methow Power-Line Fight Turns into Washington State Supreme Court Showdown (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012573301_mckennagoldmark09m.html

Canada - Ontario’s Cheap Power Advantage Is Gone, Says Industry (Toronto Star, Ontario)

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/845060

Editorial – Chelan PUD Wisely Stays the Course (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/aug/07/pud-wisely-stays-the-course/

Florida - Lee County Electric Cooperative Returns $7.6 Million to Customers (WINK-TV, Fort Meyers FL)

http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2010-08-04/LCEC-returns-millions-to-customers

Global Warming Heats up a Nuclear Energy Renaissance (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0809/Global-warming-heats-up-a-nuclear-energy-renaissance

Gaza Power Plant Shuts Down Citing Lack of Fuel (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012558618_apmlpalestinianselectricity.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Biologists Celebrate Strong Sockeye Return to Central Idaho Spawning Grounds (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=7638

Feds May Cut Columbia Basin Hatchery Production to Benefit Wild Fish (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/08/feds_may_cut_columbia_basin_ha.html

Washington Turns to Private Funding to Operate Fish Hatcheries (Northwest Public Radio)

http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=7636

Colville Tribes Again Funding State’s Fish Hatchery to Avoid Closure Due to Budget (Columbia Basin Bulletin)

http://www.cbbulletin.com/394263.aspx

Op/Ed - Summer Spill Harms Salmon, Adds Costs (Othello Outlook, WA)

http://othellooutlook.com/?p=13090

Federal Flood Insurance Program Must Consider Salmon & Whales (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Flood-program-must-consider-salmon-and-whales-100189464.html

Alaska Fishermen Battle Mammoth Mine Proposal (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/aug/07/alaska-fishermen-battle-mammoth-mine-proposal/

Maryland Seeks Haven to Refresh Oyster Habitat (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129037024&ft=1&f=7

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Op/Ed - New Collaboration That Embraces Science & Tribal Knowledge Informs Marine Understanding (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2012556404_guest07johnstone.html

Boundaries Proposed for Carlsborg Sewer System (Sequim Gazette, WA)

http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/article.exm/2010-08-04_boundaries_proposed_for_carlsborg_sewer_system

Kitsap PUD - Two Seek to Unseat Utility District Incumbent (North Kitsap Herald, Poulsbo, WA)

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/nkh/news/election/100076794.html

Oregon Hits Lewis & Clark College with $77,927 Environmental Fine (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/08/oregon_hits_lewis_clark_colleg.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

New Port Angeles Plant Will Use Forest Biomass for Electricity “…Department of Natural Resources picked Nippon as one of four partners to use forest biomass from state lands for green energy projects…” (Associated Press)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/New-Port-Angeles-plant-will-use-forest-biomass-100231484.html

California - Biomass Plant Seeks Negotiation on Charges with Lassen Municipal Utility District (Lassen County Times, CA)

http://www.lassennews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6094:biomass-plant-seeks-negotiation-on-charges-with-utility-district

Concern over Mercury - Wood Chips May Pose Problems When Charter Street Plant Converts to Biomass (The Cap Times, Madison, WI)

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/environment/article_7cc446ca-a31a-11df-a258-001cc4c002e0.html

Mason County PUD 3 to Discuss Radar Ridge Tuesday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2919-pud-3-to-discuss-radar-ridge-tuesday-

Bonneville Power Administration Launches Online Tool to Track Wind, Weather Data (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/08/08/1293967/bpa-launches-online-tool-to-track.html

Canada - Why Wind Power Is More Complicated Than People Imagine - Many factors come into play as Ontario makes the switch to green energy (Ottawa Citizen, Ontario)

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/wind+power+more+complicated+than+people+imagine/3373758/story.html

New York - Bird, Bat Deaths Prompt Call for St. Lawrence Valley Wind Moratorium (North County Public Radio, Canton, NY)

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/16094/bird-bat-deaths-prompt-call-for-st-lawrence-valley-wind-moratorium

EPA Releases Study on Aerojet Solar Array (Sacramento Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2010/08/02/daily52.html

Bioenergy from Wood Capable of Substituting for a Fifth of German Oil Use (Bloomberg News)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-03/bioenergy-from-wood-capable-of-substituting-for-a-fifth-of-german-oil-use.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Weatherization Programs: Jobs Up, Power Bills Down (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)

http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1814

Watt Meters at Lake Stevens Library Show How Much Juice You Are Using (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100809/NEWS01/708099953/-1/rss02

Shining a Light on Electricity Savings - One Bulb at a Time (North Jersey.Com)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/environment/100239744_Open_the_door_to_Project_Porchlight_and_energy_savings.html

Appliance Makers Craft More Incentives for Energy Efficiency (Dow Jones Newswire)

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201008061547dowjonesdjonline000524&title=appliance-makers-craft-more-incentives-for-energy-efficiency#ixzz0vxb6f1N9

Go Online for Help Going Green on Energy (Everett Herald, WA)

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100808/BIZ/708089967/-1/rss03

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Storm Clouds Gather in Climate Change Debate (New Mexico Business Weekly)

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2010/08/09/story2.html

Obama Gets a Menu of Climate Actions He Can Take Without Congress (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2010/08/06/06climatewire-obama-gets-a-menu-of-climate-actions-he-can-35377.html

US Changes Plan for Capturing Emissions from Coal (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/business/energy-environment/06coal.html

Giant Ice Island Breaks Off Greenland (Associated Press)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/06/national/w133334D85.DTL

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oxyburn - New Ways to Scrub Out the Carbon (NY Times)

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/new-paths-for-scrubbing-out-the-carbon/

Palo Alto Seeks New Direction in Solid Waste Power Plant “…For 40 years, Palo Alto has burned its sewage, sending 20,000 tons of greenhouses gases up a smokestack…” (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2010/08/09/focus8.html

Green Living: Off the Grid Families Pioneer Sustainable Energy Lifestyles (Christian Science Monitor)

http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/2010/0807/Green-living-Off-the-grid-families-pioneer-sustainable-energy-lifestyles

Hopes Run High for Portland’s Ecoroofs (Oregonian, Portland)

http://blog.oregonlive.com/pdxgreen/2010/08/hopes_run_high_for_portlands_e.html

Finding New Life (and Profit) in Doomed Trees (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/business/energy-environment/08sustain.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Qwest CEO, CenturyLink Dispute Objections to Deal (Denver Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2010/08/09/story12.html

Ookla’s Handy Tools Gauge Broadband Speeds (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012572845_brier09.html

Coffee Shops Are Taking Wi-Fi Off the Menu (Los Angeles Times, CA)

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/08/business/la-fi-cafe-wifi-20100808

New York Sues LCD Screen ‘Cartel’ for Fixing Prices (Associated Press)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2012557217_lcdscreens07.html

Millions Stick With TV Antennas to Save Money (KING-TV, Seattle)

http://www.king5.com/news/local/TV-antennas-picture-perfect-for-tough-economy-100189199.html

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Battle Looms over Huge Costs of Public Pensions (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/your-money/07money.html

GENERAL NEWS

Wheat’s Turning Golden after Russian Grain Export Ban (Wenatchee World, WA)

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/aug/07/wheats-turning-golden-after-russian-grain-export/

Streetlights on Shelton City Commission’s Agenda Monday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

http://masoncountydailynews.net/news/2913-streetlights-on-shelton-city-commissions-agenda-monday

Washington Ferry System Buys Unusable Generators (Associated Press)

http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=12938893

$2.5 Million in Olympic National Park Projects (Associated Press)

http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=352201

Oregon - Interior Department Okays Cascade Locks Casino (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

http://news.opb.org/article/10668-interior-department-okays-cascade-locks-casino/

Man Pulled over in Tenino With Dead Body in Pickup (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/08/09/1330324/man-pulled-over-with-dead-body.html

Belfair - ‘Farm at Water’s Edge’ Wants to Show Connection between Humans, Salmon (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/aug/06/farm-waters-edge-wants-show-connection-between-hum/

Habitat for Humanity Starts Recruitment for Belfair Store (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/aug/08/habitat-humanity-starts-recruitment-belfair-store/

Former Olympia Brewery Auction Gets Bid of $24.9 Million (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/08/07/1292933/brewery-auction-gets-bid-of-249m.html

British Columbia - Glacier Invades: Thousands Ordered to Leave Their Homes after Massive Slide near Pemberton (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Thousands+ordered+leave+their+homes+after+massive+slide+near+Pemberton/3372482/story.html

Former Videographer for KCPQ-TV Accused of Stealing Expensive Cameras (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012556691_cameraman07m.html

Marijuana-Smoking Boy, 14, Suspected of Starting LA-Area Wildfire (Associated Press)

http://www.examiner.com/a-2767730~Boy__14__suspected_of_starting_LA_area_wildfire.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

BATS IN THE BELFRY - DIVERSIONS

Lorene Yarnell, Mime, Dancer & Half of a Comedy Duo, Dies at 66

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/arts/dance/07yarnell.html

Store Manager Throws Hot Coffee in Intruder’s Face

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_15704501

Recycled Plastic Too Active - Marshfield Playground Delayed over Static Electricity

http://www.patriotledger.com/features/x1137373556/Marshfield-playground-delayed-over-static-electricity

British Man Walks Entire Amazon River in Two Years

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012574264_apltbrazilamazonwalkingman.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Simon & Garfunkel - The Sound of Silence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdD52DAaFRs