The Energy News Digest

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 16, 2009

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

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Idaho Power Seeks 11 Percent Rate Increase
- Northwest Natural Gas Plans $32M Refund
- Power Lines Fall On School Bus in Granite Falls
- Fatal Accident in Wapato Leaves Hundreds without Power for Hours
- Rocky Reach Dam to be featured on 'Dirty Jobs'
- Work Begins To Seal Hanford's N Reactor
- Missouri Nuclear Plant Bill Prompts Rival Rallies
- U.S. Power Plants to Burn Less Coal in 2009
- Feds Say Natural Gas Supplies Rose Last Week
- FERC’s State of the Markets – 2008
- PGE Expands Smart-Reader Program
- Shelton-Area Salmon Conference Kicks Off
- Hood Canal Shrimp Season Opens May 2
- Aquatic Reserve Proposed Off North Whidbey Island
- Water War Brews in Idaho’s Eagle Foothills
- Interior Chief Says California Water System Outdated
- Detective Work Cuts Off Flow of Chicken Goo into Columbia River
- Beware the Photo of Poo! - ‘Biosolids’ and Human Health
- In Green Energy, an Environmental Paradox
- The Real "Green" Innovation - Financial Wizardry
- Olympian Editorial - State Well-Positioned For Green Economy
- Register Guard Op/Ed - Denmark Proves That Green Power Can Pay
- Want A Career In The Green Economy? Go To School
- Texas Trash to Become Sacramento Power
- Ethanol Causing Damage in Small Engines
- Alabama – City Of Hoover Will Power Cars with Wood Waste
- Stimulus Money May Help Bring 'Smart Grid' To Northwest
- Capture Is Expensive Part of Carbon Sequestration Projects
- NE U.S - Organizers Call Regional Emissions Plan A Success
- Third-World Stove Soot Is Target in Climate Fight
- BBC Op/Ed - Time To Act On Carbon Markets
- Phone Company Shelves Unpopular Internet Cap Plan
- Here Comes the Connected Nation Sales Pitch
- Internet Used By More than Half in U.S. Election
- Qwest Closing Call Centers in Littleton, Omaha
- Manassas Preserves Broadband Over Powerline Program
- U.S. Telecoms Eager to Get Cuba on the Line
- Unemployment in Mason County up Another Percentage Point
- State Bill Would Ban New Urban Growth in Floodplains
- Seattle ‘Most Miserable Sports City’ In U.S.

WORD OF THE DAY

Parvum Opus • \PARR-vum OPE-uss\ • noun – Translated literally from Latin as “little work” (as opposed to magnum opus, which is “great work”)

Alfred’s once-tiny daughter always resented his referring to her as his “parvum opus”. As a child she did not reach her growth spurt until her late teens, when she shot up from a diminutive four-foot-two, to a six-foot-seven giantess by the age of 21. Her retort one day was that her “magnum opus” was to crack him over the head with a broom…which effectively ended his “little joke”.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and 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

Idaho Power Seeks 11 Percent Rate Increase (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/821187.html

Northwest Natural Gas Plans $32M Refund (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/13/daily32.html?ana=from_rss

Power Lines Fall On School Bus in Granite Falls (KIRTO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19192087/detail.html

Fatal Accident in Wapato Leaves Hundreds without Power for Hours (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10194300

Rocky Reach Dam to be featured on 'Dirty Jobs' (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090415/NEWS04/704169956/1001/NEWS04

Work Begins To Seal Hanford's N Reactor (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009069477_webnreactor16m.html?syndication=rss

Missouri Nuclear Plant Bill Prompts Rival Rallies (Fort Mills Times)
http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/529964.html

U.S. Power Plants to Burn Less Coal in 2009 (The Electricity Forum)
http://www.electricityforum.com/news/apr09/USwillburnlesscoalthisyear.html

Feds say natural gas supplies rose last week (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/16/financial/f073921D47.DTL&feed=rss.business

FERC’s State of the Markets – 2008 (Links to PDF File)
http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/st-mkt-ovr/som-rpt-2008.pdf

PGE expands smart-reader program (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/13/daily35.html?ana=from_rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Shelton-Area Salmon Conference Kicks Off - Funding has improved habitat, but challenges remain (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/821431.html

Hood Canal shrimp season opens May 2 (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=23928

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Aquatic Reserve Proposed Off North Whidbey Island (Whidbey News-Times)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/wnt/news/43069737.html

Water War Brews in Idaho’s Eagle Foothills - Developers claim there's plenty of water to support their plans, but neighbors fear their wells will dry up (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/733473.html

Interior Chief Says California Water System Outdated (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1963022~Interior_chief_says_Calif__water_system_outdated.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Detective Work Cuts Off Flow of Chicken Goo into Columbia River (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/food_processor_fined_for_dumpi.html

Beware the Photo of Poo! - ‘Biosolids’ and Human Health (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/biosolids-and-human-health/?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

In Green Energy, an Environmental Paradox - Wind and Solar Projects May Carry Costs for Wildlife (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/15/AR2009041503622.html?nav=rss_email/components

The Real "Green" Innovation - Why alternative energy depends more on financial wizardry than mechanical wizardry (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2216129/?from=rss

Olympian Editorial - State Well-Positioned For Green Economy
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/821162.html

Register Guard Op/Ed - Denmark Proves That Green Power Can Pay (pay no attention to that fossil fuel backup generation…)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/11562119-46/story.csp

Jobs, Blowing in the Wind - Want a career in the green economy? Go to school. (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/194106?from=rss

Texas Trash to Become Sacramento Power (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/04/13/daily41.html?ana=from_rss

Ethanol Causing Damage in Small Engines (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10191957

Alabama – City Of Hoover Will Power Cars with Wood Waste (Birmingham Business Journal – No, not Stanley Steamers)
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2009/04/13/daily28.html?ana=from_rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Stimulus Money May Help Bring 'Smart Grid' To Northwest (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4786-stimulus-money-may-help-bring-smart-grid-northwest/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Capture Is Expensive Part of Carbon Sequestration Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4775-can-carbon-sequestration-ease-pace-climate-change/

NE U.S - Organizers Call Regional Emissions Plan A Success (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009058931_apnjnjgreenhousegases.html?syndication=rss

Third-World Stove Soot Is Target in Climate Fight (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/science/earth/16degrees.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

BBC Op/Ed - Time to act on carbon markets (United Kingdom)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8000156.stm

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Phone Company Shelves Unpopular Internet Cap Plan (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/15/financial/f125227D22.DTL&feed=rss.business

Here Comes the Connected Nation Sales Pitch - Two senators insist broadband mapping firm play central role (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Here-Comes-The-Connected-Nation-Sales-Pitch-101925

Internet Used By More than Half in U.S. Election (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE53E6UL20090415?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Qwest Closing Call Centers in Littleton, Omaha (Denver Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/04/13/daily43.html?ana=from_rss

Manassas Preserves Broadband Over Powerline Program - Funds to Continue While Service Is Studied (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041403723.html?wprss=rss_technology

U.S. Telecoms Eager to Get Cuba on the Line (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041403144.html?wprss=rss_business

GENERAL NEWS

Unemployment in Mason County up Another Percentage Point (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6998/reftab/1632/t/UNEMPLOYMENT-IN-MASON-COUNTY-UP-ANOTHER-PERCENT/Default.aspx

State Bill Would Ban New Urban Growth in Floodplains (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/869870.html

Seattle ‘Most Miserable Sports City’ In U.S.: Forbes (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/13/daily29.html?ana=from_rss

DIVERSIONS

Whoops! Promotional Brass Knuckles Are Bad Idea
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/2009/april/Whoops--Promotional-Brass-Knuckles-Are-Bad-Idea.html

Library Book Returned 145 Years after Soldier Stole It during Civil War
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12147378

'Caveman' Uses Ladder to Clobber Robber
http://www.kirotv.com/money/19189479/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_4pm&tmi=sea_4pm_1_06000104152009&ts=H

Move over, Guitar Hero, it's Oh-No Banjo
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10220352-1.html?tag=nl.e703

SONG OF THE DAY

Foggy Mountain Breakdown--Flatt and Scruggs & Foggy Mt Boys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APl9fRFmdC0

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 15, 2009

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 14, 2009

Monday, April 13, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 13, 2009

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

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Homes That Use Natural Gas for Heat Could Save Big
- Even In Hydro-Rich Northwest, Coal Still Major Power Source
- Challenged To Find Budget Cuts, Grays Harbor PUD Addresses Aberdeen
- Seattle City Council: No Utility Hikes In '09
- Oregon Electrical Co-Op Increases Its Rates
- Kalispell Tribe, Pend Oreille County PUD Agree On New Dam License
- Avista Warns Of Safety Line Break Nine Mile Dam North of Spokane
- Company Considering Hydro Project in N. Idaho
- BPA to Hold Smart Grid Workshop to Develop Regional Plan
- New ‘Smart Grid’ Will Change How Energy Goes From Plants to Homes
- PPL Chief's Compensation Slips 3.6 Percent in 2008
- Good Salmon News for State, Not So For California, Oregon
- Coho Seasons Comeback on the Oregon Coast
- What's Killing California's Salmon?
- Miners Lose Bid to Stop Tribal Salmon Fishing
- New Weir Helps Fish at Little Goose Dam
- Fish Stocking in North Cascades Lakes Set To End
- Lewis County Survey: Twin City Support Strong for Dam, Levies
- Skamania County Dam near Carson Will Be Removed This Summer
- Nisqually Delta Conservation Efforts Take a Big Step Forward
- WATER: Supply Outlook Good in Eastern Washington
- TVA Rejects Many Requests as It Buys Land Tainted by Coal-Ash Spill
- News Tribune - Tacoma Deserves Fair Treatment in Green Energy Bill
- Grays Harbor PUD Asks City Hall for Help on Small Hydro Bill
- Reinvent Grid For Shifty Bursts Of Wind
- Wind Power: Texas Is King, But Iowa Breezes Past California
- Backyard Windmills
- European Wind Energy Manufacturers Look to Oklahoma
- Biomass Brouhaha - Clean-Air Agency Makes Burn-Ban Violators Feel Heat
- Seattleites Call For Change in Biodiesel Industry
- Report: Ethanol Raises Cost Of Nutrition Programs
- San Francisco Renewable Power Plant Proposed For Farallones
- Disclosing a Home’s Energy Efficiency
- Big Tax Breaks for Energy Efficiency
- Who Will Get U.S. Millions In Energy Aid?
- Unplug Your Electronics, Save Money
- Md. To Redirect Cap-And-Trade Revenues
- A Carbon Cap Will Create More Jobs
- Editorial - Cap-And-Trade Bill Could Devastate Manufacturing
- Cost Is a Key Issue for Caps on Carbon
- Toronto Star Editorial - Costing Green Energy
- Expert: Don't 'Rinky-Dink around the Margins' Of Climate Change
- Australia May Have Climate Lessons for the U.S.
- Changing Environmental Tide Demands B.C. Lobbyist in Washington
- Sabey Continues Data Center Talks In Quincy
- FCC Plan: Free High-Speed Net Access across U.S.
- With Greater Broadband Speeds Come Greater Demand on Networks
- Scuttling Network Sabotage
- Bad Scenarios for The Smart-Grid Concept
- Fear of Viruses Could Be Causing PC Attacks: Report
- California - City Of Palo Alto’s Fiber Dreams Still Flickering
- Father of Fiber Optics Explains How It Began
- Co-Working: A Room Not Of Their Own
- Facebook, MySpace & Twitter: Free Advertising That Works
- 'Open Season' Comment Just Fine by Some Mason County Residents
- Taxable Retail Sales Down In Mason County
- Twittering all the rage on Capitol Hill

WORD OF THE DAY

Lickerish • \LIK-uh-rish\ • adjective - 1: greedy, desirous *2: lecherous

Bradley’s intense competitive streak would be his undoing. As he hammered each volley of the ping-pong ball at his diminutive opponent, the throng of onlookers gasped with derision. It was one thing to have a lickerish sense of victory and the destruction of an opponent. But to take it out on his eight year old child was one step too far. After the final set, the crowd rushed the table tennis equipment and folded Bradley into it. He was not found until the next week’s church youth group gathering.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and 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

Homes That Use Natural Gas for Heat Could Save Big (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009020382_apnaturalgasglut.html?syndication=rss

Even In Hydro-Rich Northwest, Coal Still Major Power Source (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4742-even-hydro-rich-northwest-coal-still-major-power-source/

Challenged To Find Budget Cuts, Grays Harbor PUD Manager Addresses Aberdeen City Council (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/04/11/local_news/doc49e05bae0b8eb785859535.txt

Seattle City Council: No Utility Hikes In '09 (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/166037.asp?source=pimail

Oregon Electrical Co-Op Increases Its Rates - Utilities are reacting to higher prices expected from the source of their power (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/11635595-41/story.csp

Kalispell Tribe, Pend Oreille County PUD Agree On New Dam License (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_dam_deal.html?source=mypi

Avista Warns Of Safety Line Break Nine Mile Dam North of Spokane (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009031439_apwalakebreak.html?syndication=rss

Company Considering Hydro Project in N. Idaho (The Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/817185.html

BPA to Hold Smart Grid Workshop to Develop Regional Plan (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/267031/

New ‘Smart Grid’ Will Change How Energy Goes From Plants to Homes (Holland Sentinel, MI)
http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news/x711735212/New-smart-grid-will-change-how-energy-goes-from-plants-to-homes

PPL Chief's Compensation Slips 3.6 Percent in 2008 (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009014003_appapplcorpexecutivecompensation.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Good Salmon News for State, Not So For California, Oregon (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090409/NEWS03/704099838/1024/rss1024

Coho Seasons Comeback on the Oregon Coast (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/04/coho_seasons_comeback_on_the_o.html

What's Killing California's Salmon? (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102997037&ft=1&f=7

Miners Lose Bid to Stop Tribal Salmon Fishing (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/816303.html

New Weir Helps Fish at Little Goose Dam (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/707702.html

Fish Stocking In North Cascades Lakes Set To End (Associated Press)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=155237

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Lewis County Survey: Twin City Support Strong for Dam, Levies (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews/?Survey-Twin-City-Support-Strong-for-Dam-=1&blockID=48982&feedID=410

Skamania County Dam near Carson Will Be Removed This Summer (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090412/NEWS02/704129960/

Nisqually Delta Conservation Efforts Take a Big Step Forward (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/707558.html

WATER: Supply outlook good in Eastern Washington (Tri-City Herald)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/540626.html

Tennessee Valley Authority Rejects Many Requests as It Buys Land Tainted by Coal-Ash Spill (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/us/12spill.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

News Tribune Editorial - Tacoma Deserves Fair Treatment in Green Energy Bill
http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/706877.html

Grays Harbor PUD Asks City Hall for Help on Small Hydro Bill (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/04/11/local_news/doc49e05b242befd250718005.txt

To Reinvent Grid for Shifty Bursts of Wind, Energy Overseers Must Rejigger Supply and Demand (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/13/focus2.html?ana=from_rss

Wind Power: Texas Is King, But Iowa Breezes Past California (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iCCigqHwXLg0T4Qo1ExfgpLg-1TQD97H5D0O1

Backyard Windmills (WHYY Philadelphia, PA)
http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/2009/04/12/backyard-windmills/6025

European Wind Energy Manufacturers Look to Oklahoma Energy Current)
http://www.energycurrent.com/index.php?id=3&storyid=17347

Biomass Brouhaha - Clean-Air Agency Makes Burn-Ban Violators Feel Heat (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009029132_air13m.html?syndication=rss

Seattleites Call For Change in Biodiesel Industry (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_041109WAB-biodiesel-KS.c692a6fd.html?rss

Report: Ethanol Raises Cost Of Nutrition Programs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009014114_apfoodcostsethanol.html?syndication=rss

San Francisco Renewable Power Plant Proposed For Farallones (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/11/BUAP170KCO.DTL&feed=rss.business

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Disclosing a Home’s Energy Efficiency (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/10/AR2009041001404.html

Big Tax Breaks for Energy Efficiency (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/11/BU6L170I4F.DTL&feed=rss.business

Who Will Get U.S. Millions In Energy Aid? (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/706833.html

Unplug Your Electronics, Save Money (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/12/BUHS170INS.DTL&feed=rss.business

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Md. To Redirect Cap-And-Trade Revenues - Critics say rebates will short-circuit goals (Bloomberg News)
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090411/BUSINESS/904110308/1003

A Carbon Cap Will Create More Jobs (Miami Herald, FL)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/environment/story/997500.html

Journal-Sentinel Editorial - Cap-And-Trade Bill Could Devastate Manufacturing (Milwaukee, WI)
http://www.jsonline.com/business/42829987.html

Cost Is a Key Issue for Caps on Carbon (Tampa Tribune, FL)
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/apr/12/bz-cost-is-a-key-issue-for-caps-on-carbon/news-money/

Toronto Star Editorial - Costing Green Energy
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/617332

Expert: Don't 'Rinky-Dink around The Margins' Of Climate Change “…"The polar ice caps are melting…and we're banning plastic bags…'You have got to be kidding me!'" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405057_green11.html?source=pimail

Australia May Have Climate Lessons for the U.S. (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/04/10/10climatewire-australia-may-have-climate-lessons-for-the-u-10506.html

Changing Environmental Tide Demands B.C. Place a Lobbyist in Washington (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/fp/Changing+environmental+tide+demands+place+lobbyist+Washington/1490734/story.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Sabey Continues Data Center Talks In Quincy - Buildings could go up later this year (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/04/10/news/doc49df737bc0b2b617679833.txt

FCC Plan: Free High-Speed Net Access across U.S. (Associated Press)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090411/BIZ/704119968/-1/RSS03

With Greater Broadband Speeds Come Greater Demand On Networks (Seattle Times)http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009021892_ptmacc11.html?syndication=rss

Scuttling Network Sabotage - Telecommunication companies are fighting vandals who use simple tools that can cut off service to thousands (Associated Press)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090411/BIZ/704119966/-1/RSS03

Bad Scenarios for The Smart-Grid Concept - Commentary: Cable cuts in Bay Area look like someone's testing network (MarketWatch)
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/bad-scenarios-smart-grid-concept/story.aspx?guid={4F799BF6-C977-4CE5-BA8A-6958108C6206}&dist=msr_1

Fear of Viruses Could Be Causing PC Attacks: Report (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN0749083820090408?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

California - City Of Palo Alto’s Fiber Dreams Still Flickering (Palo Alto Online)
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=11913

Father of Fiber Optics Explains How It Began (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/10/MNGD170HIH.DTL

Co-Working: A Room Not Of Their Own (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/04/coworking_a_room_not_of_their.html

Facebook, MySpace & Twitter: Free Advertising That Works (KEPR-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.keprtv.com/news/local/42880792.html

GENERAL NEWS

'Open Season' Comment Just Fine by Some Mason County Residents (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/42840257.html

Taxable Retail Sales Down In Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6962/reftab/1632/t/TAXABLE-RETAIL-SALES-DOWN-IN-MASON-COUNTY/Default.aspx

Twittering All the Rage on Capitol Hill (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009028644_bttwitter13.html

DIVERSIONS

‘The Real Spinal Tap’
http://www.newsweek.com/id/193490?from=rss

Neighbors Say 'Barney' the Purple House Lowers Property Values
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090412/news/304129978

Hammer Time for Cell Phone Used To Run Up $5K Bill
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090410/ap_on_fe_st/odd_phone_bill;_ylt=Aj13YqSDc0RpCHEP9cjgdnTtiBIF

Swedish Parishioners Unveil Lego Statue of Jesus
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090412/ap_on_fe_st/eu_sweden_lego_jesus_statue;_ylt=An_eEc1AiL_HMKGDUaIOHFHtiBIF

SONG OF THE DAY

Spinal Tap – Stonehenge (PG-13 for some ‘adult’ language)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXGbwIkvh38

Friday, April 10, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 10, 2009

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Energy News Digest for April 9, 2009

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

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Grays Harbor County PUD Board Seeks Cutback Options
- British Columbia Seeking Intervener Status on Okanogan Dam Proposal
- Oregon Legislative Bills Oppose Idaho Power Line
- PUD 3 Tree Trimming On Shelton-Matlock Road Begins Monday
- Fifteen Percent - Pacific Power seeks new rate hike
- Nation's Oldest Nuclear Power Plant Gets New License
- Cantwell Optimistic For Green Energy Jobs
- Report: Cyber-Spies Hack U.S. Electricity Grid
- Sleeping guards cost Florida Power & Light $130,000
- Calif. Chinook Fishing Season Halted Again
- Oregon Coast Commercial Salmon Season Curtailed Again
- Salmon Anglers Will See a Big Expansion of Select Fisheries in Puget Sound
- Federal regulators deny protection to Calif. Smelt
- California Cows Create Healthy Habitat for Endangered Shrimp
- Pierce County Weighs Action on Rising River Sediment
- National Post Editorial - Wind Power Is a Complete Disaster
- Corndoggle - How did Oregon’s largest producer of “green” fuel fail so fast?
- Standard-Times Op/Ed - Realities of renewables
- Why Are Home Renewable Energy Systems Still So Expensive?
- Green Energy Subsidies Could Cost Jobs
- Windmill Blades to Come Through Port Of Olympia This Week
- Free Press Op/Ed - Give A Dam about Canadian Run-Of-River
- Canada - B.C. Hydro Not Interested in Nanaimo Turbine Energy
- The “Smart Grid:” How Smart?
- Energy Adviser: Shrink your carbon footprint
- White House May Postpone Auctioning Emissions
- Science Chief Discusses Climate Strategy
- World Can Halt Global Warming, Activist Says
- Carbon Market Is Closely Watching the U.S.
- Climate Legislation Sends Chill through Areas Fueled by Coal
- Boston Globe Editorial - A carbon cap with teeth
- Maryland to Rebate Cap and Trade Money to Consumers
- Winnipeg Sun Editorial - Hot Air over Greenhouse Gases
- Geoengineering Explored To Fight Global Warming
- T-Mobile Launches Douglas County’s First Data Center
- Stat Shot: Fiber to the Home
- Cisco to Buy Tidal as Part of Its Data Center Rush
- There's No Data to Prove Metered Billing Is Necessary
- Google releases upgrade to its App Engine
- Australia Vs. U.S. In Broadband Stimulus Plans
- Effort Underway to Save Belfair Bypass from State Scrap Heap
- Insurance to Pay Fines over Record Requests for Mason County
- Olympia area could get some of Sea-Tac's traffic
- Motorcycle Fatalities Prompt Warning

WORD OF THE DAY

Tontine • \TAWN-teen\ • noun – 1: an annuity scheme in which subscribers share a common fund with the benefit of survivorship, the survivors' shares being increased as the subscribers die, until the whole goes to the last survivor

It was the end of the march. The final World War I veteran who had made a pact with his friends many years ago in the muddy fields of France held the dusty bottle of cognac in his wrinkled hands. It seemed ironic to him, that of all those who made the tontine pact that the bottle’s amber contents would be his alone to savor in the twilight years of his life. Ironic in that he had lived his entire existence as a teetotaler.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and 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

Grays Harbor County PUD Board Seeks Cutback Options (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/04/08/local_news/doc49dcec5580a36561743207.txt

British Columbia Seeking Intervener Status on Okanogan Dam Proposal (Keremeos Review, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/keremeosreview/news/42638892.html

Oregon Legislative Bills Oppose Idaho Power Line (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/814413.html

PUD 3 Tree Trimming On Shelton-Matlock Road Begins Monday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6935/reftab/1632/t/TREE-TRIMMING-ON-SHELTON-MATLOCK-ROAD-BEGINS-MONDAY/Default.aspx

Fifteen Percent - Pacific Power seeks new rate hike (Yakima Herald-Republic)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/2009/04/08/pacific-power-seeks-new-rate-hike

Nation's Oldest Nuclear Power Plant - Feds OK New 20 Year License For NJ Facility (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008954850_apoystercreekrelicensing.html?syndication=rss

Cantwell Optimistic For Green Energy Jobs (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/814214.html

Report: Cyber-Spies Hack U.S. Electricity Grid (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102887291&ft=1&f=2

Sleeping guards cost Florida Power & Light $130,000 (Associated Press)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/miami/sfl-florida-power-and-light-fine-bn040809,0,3688460.story?track=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Calif. Chinook Fishing Season Halted Again (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1951303~Calif__chinook_fishing_season_halted_again.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Oregon Coast Commercial Salmon Season Curtailed Again (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/oregon_coast_commercial_salmon.html

Salmon Anglers Will See a Big Expansion of Select Fisheries in Puget Sound (Seattle Times)
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reeltimenorthwest/2009/04/08/salmon_anglers_will_see_a_big.html

Federal regulators deny protection to Calif. Smelt (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1950805~Federal_regulators_deny_protection_to_Calif__fish.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

California Cows Create Healthy Habitat for Endangered Shrimp (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1950542~Cows_create_healthy_habitat_for_endangered_shrimp.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Pierce County Weighs Action on Rising River Sediment (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/702728.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

National Post Editorial - Wind Power Is a Complete Disaster “…the world’s most wind-intensive nation, with more than 6,000 turbines generating 19% of its electricity, has yet to close a single fossil-fuel plant…” (Canada)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpcomment/archive/2009/04/08/wind-power-is-a-complete-disaster.aspx

Corndoggle - How did Oregon’s largest producer of “green” fuel fail so fast? (Willamette Weekly, OR)
http://wweek.com/editorial/3522/12412/

Standard-Times Op/Ed - Realities of renewables: Wind, solar lag far behind in economics of oil (San Angelo, TX)
http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2009/apr/09/realities-of-renewables/

Welcome to the “Bleeding Edge:” Why Are Renewable Energy Systems for Homeowners Still So Expensive? (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/why-are-renewable-energy-systems-for-homeowners-still-so-expensive?src=rss

Green Energy Subsidies Could Cost Jobs (KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO)
http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=284575

Windmill Blades to Come Through Port Of Olympia This Week (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/business/story/813694.html

Free Press Op/Ed - Give A Dam about Canadian Run-Of-River (100 Mile House Free Press, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/opinion/42634812.html

Canada - B.C. Hydro Not Interested in Nanaimo Turbine Energy - Technology doesn't meet policies for buying electricity (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Hydro+interested+Nanaimo+turbine+energy/1247674/story.html

The “Smart Grid:” How Smart? Technology will run it and clean electricity will power it (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/how-smart?src=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Energy Adviser: Shrink your carbon footprint (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090409/LIVING/704099998

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

White House May Postpone Auctioning Emissions (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040802467.html?hpid=topnews

Science Chief Discusses Climate Strategy - Obama Adviser Hints at Compromise on Cap-and-Trade Emission Allowances (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/08/AR2009040802467.html?wprss=rss_politics

World Can Halt Global Warming, Activist Says (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/world_can_halt_global_warming.html

Carbon Market Is Closely Watching the U.S. (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10215704-38.html

Climate Legislation Sends Chill through Areas Fueled by Coal (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/us/09coal.html?_r=1&hpw

Boston Globe Editorial - A carbon cap with teeth
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2009/04/09/a_carbon_cap_with_teeth/

Maryland to Rebate Cap and Trade Money to Consumers (The Business Insider)
http://www.businessinsider.com/maryland-to-rebate-cap-and-trade-money-to-consumers-2009-4

Winnipeg Sun Editorial - Hot Air over Greenhouse Gases (Canada)
http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/columnists/lorrie_goldstein/2009/04/09/9060341-sun.html

Geoengineering Explored To Fight Global Warming (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/814218.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

T-Mobile Launches Douglas County’s First Data Center – Douglas PUD Power Makes It Go! (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090408/NEWS04/704089958/-1/WEATHER?T-Mobile-launches-Douglas-County-s-first-data-center

Stat Shot: Fiber to the Home (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/08/stat-shot-fiber-to-the-home/

Cisco to Buy Tidal as Part of Its Data Center Rush (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/09/cisco-to-buy-tidal-as-part-of-its-data-center-rush/

There's No Data to Prove Metered Billing Is Necessary - Journalists start crunching numbers, call Time Warner plan 'obscene' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Theres-No-Data-To-Prove-Metered-Billing-Is-Necessary-101824

Google releases upgrade to its App Engine (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12101209?nclick_check=1

Australia Vs. U.S. In Broadband Stimulus Plans (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10215603-38.html

GENERAL NEWS

Effort Underway to Save Belfair Bypass From State Scrap Heap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/apr/08/effort-underway-to-save-belfair-bypass-from-heap/?partner=RSS

Insurance to Pay Fines over Record Requests for Mason County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6940/reftab/1632/t/INSURANCE-TO-PAY-RECORDS-FINES-FOR-MASON-COUNTY/Default.aspx

Olympia area could get some of Sea-Tac's traffic - Neighbors worry about more noise, bigger planes (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/814215.html

Motorcycle Fatalities Prompt Warning (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_040809WAB-motorcycle-safety-warning-TP.b5cb6388.html?rss

DIVERSIONS

Clowning around Pays off For Circus Hopefuls
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE53784T20090408?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Not Such A G'Day - How Yellow Tail Crushed The Australian Wine Industry
http://www.slate.com/id/2215153/?from=rss

Relish This: Semitrailer Spills Hot Dogs
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/19129977/detail.html

Castaway Canine Home after Months at Sea
http://www.kirotv.com/family/19122495/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Eric Burdon and War - Spill the Wine (1970)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7_U-zj2gfE