Energy News Digest for May 12, 2009

This is the 400th Energy News Digest Post on this Blog!

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.

The news digest is also available at the following web site:
http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Second Open House on Mason County PUD No. 3 Johns Prairie Operations Center
- Brother, Can You Spare a Dam?
- Klickitat County Wants Natural Gas Explorers to Carry More Insurance
- Former Enron CEO Skilling appeals to Supreme Court
- Allegheny Energy Pulling Out of Virginia
- United Kingdom - Anglesey Aluminum Starts the Fight to Save Jobs
- Spring Chinook Numbers Shrink
- Students Release Salmon into Columbia River
- Crayfish Season under Way in Lake Washington
- Chelan/Grant PUDs to Benefit - Ecology Uses Recovery Money to Reduce Emissions
- Chesapeake Bay Cleanup: Will The Stewards Unveil A More Realistic Plan?
- Oregon Solar Bill Creates Industry Conflict
- Wind Turbine Technology Gets Bigger and Better
- How Wind Energy Financing Models Are Changing
- Blackfoot, Idaho Clears Way for Wind Turbines in City
- North Carolina - Windmill Owner Fascinated By Power
- Schott Solar Opens Plant despite Downturn
- Nevada Legislature Debates Renewable Energy
- Tennessean Editorial - State Must Persevere On Renewable Energy
- Texas - Bankruptcy Latest Blow to Biofuels Sector
- Weatherization Funds Evaporating - Two months ago, it seemed like a boon
- Oregon - House Scales Back Business Deductions for Energy Projects
- Stimulus Offers Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency
- Nation’s Green 'Czar' Pushes Jobs, Community-Building
- Detroit Free Press - Make Efficiency Incentives a Key Part of Energy Plan
- Congress Pushes Cap and Trade, But Just 24% Know What It Is
- Waxman to Push Global Warming Bill without Allowing Subcommittee Vote
- The Influence Game: Firms Exact Climate Price
- Federal Climate Change Legislation=$624 Billion in Tax Revenue
- A Difference Of Opinion; County, Cities Go Own Ways on Climate Change
- Some See Energy Bill Helping Money Grow On Trees
- Canada – Saskatchewan Gov’t Cuts Emissions Goal to Aid Its Utility
- We Need an FCC Chief and We Need Him Now
- Microsoft Bond Sale: $3.75 Billion Offering
- AirTran Airways joins the Wi-Fi crowd
- California - Palo Alto Council Talks Broadband, Rail with Congresswoman
- City of Shelton Rejects Liquor License Recommendation for Downtown Bar
- Olympia Parking Costs May Climb – May end downtown free zone
- Death of 97.7, the Eagle - KOMO Newsradio to Be Heard On FM and AM
- NY Times Editorial - Sharing Congress’s Research

WORD OF THE DAY

Bastion • \BASS-chun\ • noun – 1: a projecting part of a fortification 2: a fortified area or position 3: stronghold

In the distance a dog barked, a sliver of moonlight pierced the leaves in the small copse that had become a hiding spot for the last of their kind. The small band of humans huddled at the small trickle of water that marked the headwaters of a mighty salmon stream. Their last stand at the bastion of biped dominance would be remembered by their anadromous, finned foes as the “Battle of the Headwaters.” Climate change, rising waters, dam removal, the elimination of irrigation, genetic mutations from hatchery/wild spawn, the siphoning of capital from other needs all combined to create an evolved salmon species that not only had a sentience, but also a sense of entitlement over their former masters. The progression took so long to evidence itself that the “Salmon Apocalypse” was well underway before humans could react. (With all due respect to the creators of “Planet of the Apes”)

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

Second Open House on Mason County PUD No. 3 Johns Prairie Operations Center Today In Belfair (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7224/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Brother, Can You Spare a Dam? (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/blog/2009/05/brother_can_you_spare_a_dam.html

Klickitat County Wants Natural Gas Explorers to Carry More Insurance (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_gas_exploration.html?source=pimail

Former Enron CEO Skilling appeals to Supreme Court (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009207861_apenronskillingappeal.html?syndication=rss

Allegheny Energy Pulling Out of Virginia (Winchester Star, VA)
http://www.winchesterstar.com/showarticle_new.php?sID=6&foldername=20090506&file=allegheny_article.html

United Kingdom - Anglesey Aluminum Starts the Fight to Save Jobs (The Daily Post, UK)
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2009/05/12/anglesey-aluminium-starts-the-fight-to-save-jobs-55578-23600188/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Spring Chinook Numbers Shrink (Lewiston Tribune, ID)
http://www.lmtribune.com/breaking-news/993/

Students Release Salmon into Columbia River (KNDU-TV, Tri Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10341279

Crayfish Season under Way in Lake Washington, and Many Other Lakes and Streams (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2009207304_crayfish_season_underway_in_ma.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chelan/Grant PUDs to Benefit - Ecology Uses Recovery Money to Reduce Emissions (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090511/NEWS04/705119948

Washington Post Editorial - Chesapeake Bay Cleanup: Will the stewards of the waterway unveil a more realistic plan?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/11/AR2009051102612.html?nav=rss_opinions

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Solar Bill Creates Industry Conflict (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/05/oregon-solar-bill-creates-industry-conflict?cmpid=rss

Wind Turbine Technology Gets Bigger and Better (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/05/wind-turbine-technology-gets-bigger-and-better?cmpid=rss

How Wind Energy Financing Models Are Changing (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/05/models-have-changed-but-wind-energy-finance-remains-active?cmpid=rss

Blackfoot, Idaho Clears Way for Wind Turbines in City (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/848416.html

North Carolina - Windmill Owner Fascinated By Power (The Fayetteville Observer, NC)
http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=326137

Schott Solar Opens Plant despite Downturn (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10237445-54.html?tag=nl.e703

Nevada Legislature Debates Renewable Energy (Reno Gazette-Journal, NV)
http://www.rgj.com/article/20090511/NEWS11/90511034/1321/NEWS

Tennessean Editorial - State Must Persevere On Renewable Energy
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090512/OPINION01/905120314/1008/State+must+persevere+on+renewable+energy

Texas - Bankruptcy Latest Blow to Biofuels Sector (San Antonio Express-News, TX)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/44749967.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Weatherization Funds Evaporating - Two months ago, it seemed like a boon. Now, federal stimulus money aimed at boosting home weatherization projects looks more like a buoy (Tri-City Herald, via the News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/738814.html

Oregon - House Scales Back Business Deductions for Energy Projects: Makers of plug-in cars gain eligibility (The Statesman Journal, Salem, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090512/LEGISLATURE/905120322/1042/STATE

Stimulus Offers Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency (National Public Radio: Good story, but BTW, the reporter incorrectly identifies Puget Sound Energy as a public utility)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104047348

Nation’s Green 'Czar' Pushes Jobs, Community-Building (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103456763&ft=1&f=3

Detroit Free Press Editorial - Make Efficiency Incentives a Key Part of Energy Plan
http://www.freep.com/article/20090512/OPINION01/905120327

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Congress Pushes Cap and Trade, But Just 24% Know What It Is (Rasmussen Reports)
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/environment/congress_pushes_cap_and_trade_but_just_24_know_what_it_is

Waxman to Push Global Warming Bill without Allowing Subcommittee Vote (Washington Examiner, DC)
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Waxman-to-push-global-warming-bill-without-allowing-subcommittee-vote_05_12-44750477.html

The Influence Game: Firms Exact Climate Price - Utilities, steelmakers and oil industry lobbyists have tried to ease the pain of President Barack Obama's push to curb global warming, and they've gotten an early return on the millions of dollars they've spent influencing Congress (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009206361_apusclimatelobbying.html?syndication=rss

Federal Climate Change Legislation to Generate $624 Billion in Tax Revenue (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/x-219-Denver-Weather-Examiner~y2009m5d12-Climate-change-legislation-to-generate-624-billion-in-tax-revenue

A Difference Of Opinion; County, Cities Go Own Ways on Climate Change (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090512/news/305129996

Some See Energy Bill Helping Money Grow On Trees (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/05/11/11greenwire-some-see-energy-bill-helping-money-grow-on-tre-10572.html

Canada – Saskatchewan Gov’t Cuts Emissions Goal to Aid Its Utility (The Canadian Press)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090512.SASK12ISLART2145/TPStory/National

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

We Need an FCC Chief and We Need Him Now (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/05/11/we-need-an-fcc-chief-and-we-need-him-now/

Microsoft Bond Sale: $3.75 Billion Offering (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2009208820_microsoftdebt12.html

AirTran Airways joins the Wi-Fi crowd (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/12/financial/f073113D96.DTL&feed=rss.business

California - Palo Alto Council Talks Broadband, Rail with Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12348744

GENERAL NEWS

City of Shelton Rejects Liquor License Recommendation for Downtown Bar – Cites drunkenness, traffic hazards, impaired drivers (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7226/reftab/1632/t/CITY-NOT-RECOMMENDING-LIQUOR-LICENSE-RENEWAL-FOR-BIG-E-S/Default.aspx

Olympia Parking Costs May Climb - City Council to discuss ending downtown free zone (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/848041.html

Death of 97.7, the Eagle - KOMO Newsradio to Be Heard On FM and AM (KOMO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/44725407.html

NY Times Editorial - Sharing Congress’s Research
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/opinion/12tue3.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

You Can Find A Bunch Of These Congressional Research Reports Here:
http://opencrs.com/

DIVERSIONS

Girls Find Music from Buffett and His Ukuleles (Check out the video of his visit at the bottom of the story)
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5455O220090506?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews&rpc=69&sp=true

Perhaps Not the Brightest Of Vandals...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2009210271_perhaps_not_the_brightest_of_v.html?syndication=rss

Privy Probers Plumb Depths of 19th-Century Life in Sacramento
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1853155.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Phish - Bouncing Around the Room
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfdcHOtAxhY&feature=PlayList&p=2EE0726F98F9A582&index=0&playnext=1

Energy News Digest for May 11, 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.

http://www.energynewsdigest.blogspot.com/

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Mason County Public Utility District Considering $41 Million Expansion
- Snohomish County PUD Thinking Small Dams
- Hydropower Doesn't Count As Green Energy, But Some Say It Should
- Hydropower: It's Renewable, But Is It Green?
- A Look Back At the Washington State Legislative Session
- POWER: Columbia Generating Station Shut Down For Refueling
- Kalama Coal Plant Gives Way To Greener Ideas
- Kyrgyzstan Ambassador Tours Rocky Reach Dam, Tree Top
- Puget Sound Energy Request Gas Rate Decrease
- Montana Alberta Tie Line developers cautious despite recent victory
- Prominent Power Lines Dim Green Enthusiasm for Some
- Wyoming - We're getting a Clean-Coal Facility
- Tennessee Valley Authority Utilities' New Co-Op Could Cut Power Bills
- Cost Of S.C. Nuke Plant Has Duke In Search For Partner
- Flipping Nuclear Power Back On - For investors, many nuclear options
- NOAA: Mild Solar Storm Season Predicted
- Officials Fret Bonneville Salmon Count Accuracy
- Good News, Bad News on Spring Chinook Fishing
- Oregon Considers Planting Salmon Eggs
- Big Birds in Snohomish County Getting Protection from Power Lines
- British Columbia - Rescue Group Struggles To Deal with Bird Electrocutions
- Eld Inlet Duck Hunting Leads to Dispute
- Abalone Are Treasured — Nearly To Extinction Locally
- Chelan PUD: Clean-Water Guru Thrives On His Connections
- Agency Proposes Puget Sound Aquatic Reserve
- Grays Harbor “Green” Projects Survive
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Holding Hearing on SEPA Policies and Procedures
- Weed Whackers Can Spew Some Serious Pollutants
- Springtime Smoke in Siberia Is Our Arctic Haze
- Save Birds by Promoting Wind Energy
- Noise protesters howling about wind farms
- Detroit News, Op/Ed - Bigger Isn't Better For Wind Power
- Wind Energy Finds New Backers from Automakers’ Woes
- Mafia Link to Sicily Wind Farms Probed
- Wyoming - Landowners: Slow Down Wind Energy
- Green Energy: Rooftop Unit Generates Electricity in Moderate Wind
- Ethanol Industry’s 15% Solution Raises Concerns
- Stimulus Money to Go to Washington State Energy Efficiency
- Industry Looks to LED Bulbs for the Home
- Cut Energy Use, Make Your Home Efficient With Easy Steps
- Smart Meters: Monitoring A Cleaner, Greener Grid
- What Will Carbon Caps Cost?
- Oregon State House gives Kulongoski a victory on greenhouse gases
- Oregon’s Governor- Straight Talk, or Unhelpful Scolding?
- House Dems Edge Closer To Consensus on Climate and Energy Bill
- ‘Kill Bill’ Climate Strategy Plays like Old Movie
- Chevron’s O’Reilly: Cap-and-Trade Means ‘Pre-Industrial Economy’
- China Hydropower "Subprime Carbon" Flood May Slow
- Australia - Carbon Market's Disappearing Act
- Agro-Forestry Study May Open Carbon Market to Poor
- Though Rural, Clallam County Attacks Climate Change
- Will the Sun’s Decreased Activity Mean another Little Ice Age?
- As Data Centers Suck Up Energy Industry Looks to Turn Down the Heat
- Microsoft looking to cut data center power bills
- There's a Downside to Letting Go Of Your Landline
- Metered Internet Likely On Way
- UTOPIA Launches North America’s Fastest Residential Internet Connection
- Utopia Hits 100Mbps - First to 100Mbps, but not really
- Tennessee - No Profit yet For Jackson Energy Authority Telecom Division
- Minnesota - A Bubble of Broadband Spending
- Washington Reports First Death of Person with Swine Flu
- Peel 'Em And Weep: First-Class Stamps Rise 2 Cents
- Repairs to Temporary Tahuya River Bridge Finished
- E-Mails Show outside Influence on Yakima Budget Process
- Lakewood Might Check Legal Status of Its City Workers
- Gregoire on the Spot Over Performance Audits
- California Fires Sparked by Power Tool, Officials Say
- Md. Town's Bid for Economic Stimulus Starts a Fight

WORD OF THE DAY

Sandbag • \SAND-bag \ • verb – 1: to bank, stop up, or weight with sandbags 2a: to hit or stun with or as if with a sandbag b: to treat unfairly or harshly *3: to conceal or misrepresent one's true position, potential, or intent especially in order to take advantage of

The dark, surging water of “Pressure Creek” kept rising, its oily surface hiding the destructive power pummeling the ever-higher pile of sandbags placed on the riverbank. As the velvety darkness fell on the “bucket-brigade” of volunteers, the foreman on the growing levee fell, sandbagged into unconsciousness by an unknown assailant. Suddenly atop the improvised dam appeared a man in deep purple robes, the fabric spangled with diamonds that shone like starlight on the darkest night. “Do not be afraid,” he bellowed to the sweaty, begrimed workers, “The waters will not pass this point.” Fortunately, the dark toil did not abate, as the experienced flood survivors knew that the peculiar “Lord of the Rings” fanboy was merely trying to sandbag them into believing that he was one of the mysterious wizards of middle-earth.

(What a long walk for a little weird humor…)

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

Mason County Public Utility District Considering $41 Million Expansion (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/10/mason-county-utility-district-considering-41/

Snohomish County PUD Thinking Small Dams - PUD wants 10 new mini-dams; environmentalists see trouble (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_small_dams.html?source=mypi

Hydropower Doesn't Count As Green Energy, But Some Say It Should (Everett Herald, WA)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20090510/NEWS01/705109905

Hydropower: It's Renewable, But Is It Green? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4953-hydropower-its-renewable-it-green/

A Look Back At the Washington State Legislative Session (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/local/story/736742.html

POWER: Columbia Generating Station Shut Down For Refueling (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/572547.html

Kalama Coal Plant Gives Way To Greener Ideas (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/05/11//area_news/doc4a06613db3c88933983777.txt

Kyrgyzstan Ambassador Tours Rocky Reach Dam, Tree Top (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090509/NEWS04/705099956/-1/FAM?Kyrgyzstan-ambassador-tours-Rocky-Reach-Dam--Tree-Top

Puget Sound Energy Request Gas Rate Decrease (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_pse_rates.html?source=mypi

Montana Alberta Tie Line developers cautious despite recent victory, but other transmission lines are in the works (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090510/NEWS01/905100301/1002/news01/MATL+developers+cautious+despite+recent+victory++but+other+transmission+lines+are+in+the+works

Prominent Power Lines Dim Green Enthusiasm for Some (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1850173.html

Wyoming - We're getting a Clean-Coal Facility (Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Cheyenne, WY)
http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2009/05/09/news/20local_05-09-09.txt

Tennessee Valley Authority Utilities' New Co-Op Could Cut Power Bills, But At A Price (The Tennessean)
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=87216&catid=2

Cost Of S.C. Nuke Plant Has Duke In Search For Partner - Company could drop the $11 billion project if it can’t share financial risk (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/05/11/story8.html?ana=from_rss

Flipping Nuclear Power Back On - For investors, many nuclear options. But tread carefully. (Barron’s Online)
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB124182248204002189.html?mod=googlenews_barrons

NOAA: Mild Solar Storm Season Predicted (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=361685&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Officials Fret Bonneville Salmon Count Accuracy (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/05/officials_fret_bonneville_salm.html

Good News, Bad News on Spring Chinook Fishing For Some Columbia River Tributaries (Seattle Times)
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reeltimenorthwest/2009/05/09/good_news_bad_news_on_spring_c.html

Oregon Considers Planting Salmon Eggs (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2008008~Oregon_considers_planting_salmon_eggs.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Big Birds in Snohomish County Getting Protection from Power Lines (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050809WAB-birds-power-lines-KS.7da3178.html?rss

British Columbia - Rescue Group Struggles To Deal with Bird Electrocutions (Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.timescolonist.com/Technology/Rescue+group+struggles+deal+with+bird+electrocutions/1581900/story.html

Eld Inlet Duck Hunting Leads to Dispute - Homeowners seek controlled zone, ban (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/846314.html

Abalone Are Treasured — Nearly To Extinction Locally: Today, so few of the shellfish remain that scientists with kitchen utensils and model-train glue are trying to mate survivors in a lab (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009202083_abalone10m.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chelan PUD: Clean-Water Guru Thrives On His Connections (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090508/NEWS04/705089974/0/NEWS03?Clean-water-guru-thrives-on-his-connections

Agency Proposes Puget Sound Aquatic Reserve - Environment: Plan safeguards thousands of acres of marine habitat in Nisqually Reach-Anderson Island area (The Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/845534.html

Grays Harbor “Green” Projects Survive (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/05/10/local_news/doc4a0526e0b6b6f058519173.txt

Mason County PUD No. 3 Holding Hearing on SEPA Policies and Procedures (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7211/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Weed Whackers Can Spew Some Serious Pollutants (South Coast Today, MA)
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090510/LIFE/905100310

Springtime Smoke in Siberia Is Our Arctic Haze (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
http://www.adn.com/life/alaskana/story/789948.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Save Birds by Promoting Wind Energy - A new study shows that wind farms and nuclear power plants are substantially better for avian wildlife than fossil-fueled power stations (Scitizen)
http://scitizen.com/screens/blogPage/viewBlog/sw_viewBlog.php?idTheme=14&idContribution=2731

Noise protesters howling about wind farms (Toronto Star, Ontario, Canada)
http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/632161

Detroit News, Op/Ed - Bigger Isn't Better For Wind Power
http://www.detnews.com/article/20090511/OPINION01/905110318/1008/Bigger-isn-t-better-for-wind-power

Wind Energy Finds New Backers from Automakers’ Woes (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/847232.html

Mafia Link to Sicily Wind Farms Probed (Financial Times of London)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f828472c-390c-11de-8cfe-00144feabdc0.html

Wyoming - Landowners: Slow Down Wind Energy (Caspar Star-Tribune, WY)
http://www.trib.com/articles/2009/05/09/news/energy/doc4a062e8428e62605633140.txt

Green Energy: Rooftop Unit Generates Electricity in Moderate Wind (Control Engineering)
http://www.controleng.com/article/CA6657104.html?industryid=48514


Ethanol Industry’s 15% Solution Raises Concerns (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/automobiles/10ETHANOL.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Stimulus Money to Go to Washington State Energy Efficiency (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/735935.html

Industry Looks to LED Bulbs for the Home (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/technology/11led.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Cut Energy Use, Make Your Home Efficient With Easy Steps (Associated Press)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-energy-efficiency-0511,0,195607.story

Smart Meters: Monitoring A Cleaner, Greener Grid - How would they work, who benefits — and who will pay? (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/11/smart-meters

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

What Will Carbon Caps Cost? “…Portland General Electric…warned of rate increases as much as 120% to meet carbon cap targets that may be enforced in Oregon…” (Motley Fool)
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2009/05/08/what-will-carbon-caps-cost.aspx

Oregon State House gives Kulongoski a victory on greenhouse gases (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/house_gives_kulongoski_a_victo.html

Oregon’s Governor- Straight Talk, or Unhelpful Scolding? (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/11/business/energy-environment/11iht-green11.html

House Dems Edge Closer To Consensus on Climate and Energy Bill (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/05/11/11climatewire-house-dems-edge-closer-to-consensus-on-clima-10572.html

‘Kill Bill’ Climate Strategy Plays like Old Movie (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aSSAAFtlyE2c&refer=home

Chevron’s O’Reilly: Cap-and-Trade Means ‘Pre-Industrial Economy’ (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/05/08/chevrons-oreilly-cap-and-trade-means-pre-industrial-economy/#mod=yahoo_hs

China Hydropower "Subprime Carbon" Flood May Slow – “…China’s booming hydropower sector is facing mounting criticism for generating "subprime carbon" credits from projects that don't need extra earnings to succeed, raising the risk of tougher rules and putting billions of dollars of clean energy investments at risk…” (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-BusinessofGreen/idUSTRE5452AI20090506

Australia - Carbon Market's Disappearing Act (The Australian)
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/business/story/0,28124,25457368-5005200,00.html

Agro-Forestry Study May Open Carbon Market to Poor (Reuters)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LB352772.htm

Though Rural, Clallam County Attacks Climate Change (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090511/news/305119996

Will the Sun’s Decreased Activity Mean another Little Ice Age? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/science/2009/may/Will-the-Sun-s-Decreased-Activity-Mean-Another-Little-Ice-Age-.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

As Data Centers Suck Up Energy, Money, Tech Industry Looks to Turn Down the Heat (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2009204767_greendata11.html?syndication=rss

Microsoft looking to cut data center power bills - $3.4 million electrical bill last year to operate data center in Quincy (Associated Press)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/737926.html

There's a Downside to Letting Go Of Your Landline (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12318854

Metered Internet Likely On Way (McClatchy Newspapers)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009204491_btisps11.html?syndication=rss

UTOPIA Launches North America’s Fastest Residential Internet Connection (Consumer Electronics Net) “…The customer, in Layton , Utah , is setting records by connecting his home to the first symmetrical, non-shared 100 Mbps fiber-optic Internet connection in the United States …” Ed. Note: I think I’ve got some customers using Public Utility District wholesale fiber in the Pacific Northwest that would like to challenge that assumption…
http://audiovideo.consumerelectronicsnet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=738634

Utopia Hits 100Mbps - First to 100Mbps, but not really – PUD’s in Washington State have been wholesaling 100Mbps for almost a decade… (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Utopia-Hits-100Mbps-102365?r=773

Tennessee - No Profit yet For Jackson Energy Authority Telecom Division (Jackson Sun, TN)
http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20090510/NEWS01/905100315

Minnesota - A Bubble of Broadband Spending - Network equipment operator Clearfield of Plymouth is on hold while potential federal stimulus-plan spenders connect the dots (Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN)
http://www.startribune.com/business/44610777.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUvDE7aL_V_BD77:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

GENERAL NEWS

Washington Reports First Death Of Person With Swine Flu (Associated Press)
http://columbian.com/article/20090509/NEWS02/705099938/

Peel 'Em And Weep: First-Class Stamps Rise 2 Cents (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2009200627_apuspostalrates.html?syndication=rss

Repairs to Temporary Tahuya River Bridge Finished (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7199/reftab/1632/t/REPAIRS-TO-TEMPORARY-TAHUYA-RIVER-BRIDGE-FINISHED/Default.aspx

Online Consultation: E-Mails Show outside Influence on Yakima Budget Process - Documents reveal Business Times' Bruce Smith worked behind the scenes with council allies (Yakima Herald Republic)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/05/07/e-mails-show-outside-influence-on-yakima-budget-process

Lakewood Might Check Legal Status of Its City Workers (Associated Press)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_051109WAB-lakewood-city-workers-LJ.15d6b5b0.html?rss

Gregoire on the Spot Over Performance Audits (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/18947/

California Fires Sparked by Power Tool, Officials Say (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/05/10/us/AP-US-Wildfires.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Md. Town's Bid for Economic Stimulus Starts a Fight - U.S. Funds Sought for Development Project's Sewage Plant (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/10/AR2009051002138.html?nav=rss_email/components

DIVERSIONS

Woman Who Kept Mom's Body and Benefits Charged
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5473JM20090508?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

China - Lost Tourist Search Turns Up Seven Corpses
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE5473KR20090508?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

"Honest Pint" Bill Passes Oregon House
http://www.examiner.com/a-2005427~_Honest_pint__bill_passes_Ore__House.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Mom Accused in Little League Assault
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_051009WAB-mom-arrested-SW.11e139f9.html?rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Pieces of April - Three Dog Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEo0btreHi4

Energy News Digest for May 8, 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)

- Mason County PUD No. 3 P.U.D. 3 Holds Open House on John's Prairie Facility
- Oregon - Man Falls Onto Corvallis Electrical Transformer
- Coal-Fired Power Plants - The Writing on the Wall
- Coal Debate Highlights Duke Meeting
- Joe Kelliher Has A New Job! FPL Group Hires Him for New VP Position
- Commission to Look At Salmon on the Columbia
- Yakima River Opens Soon For Hatchery Spring Chinook
- Tribes, Feds Mark Anniversary of Basin Fish Accords
- Sea Lions Seem To Be Steering Clear Of Traps
- Gig Harbor Kayakers Paddling For The Plight Of Salmon
- Gov't Sticks With Bush-Era Polar Bear Rule
- Silverdale Man Catches Gigantic Halibut
- Tough Legislative Session for Environmentalists
- State Announces Willapa Bay Spartina Plan
- British Columbia - Independent Power Projects 'Ignoring Rules'
- Biodiesel Makers Lash Out at E.P.A. Rule
- Study: Electric Cars May Be More Efficient Than Ethanol
- What Is The Best Way to Turn Plants into Energy?
- Schwarzenegger Touts Solar Technology in San Jose
- REC’s Pre-Tax Profits More Than Doubled In 2008
- Weyerhaeuser VP Touts Woody Biomass during Longview Visit
- Saskatchewan, Montana Sign Carbon Capture Agreement
- U.S. Greens Worry for B.C.'S Carbon Tax
- Cutting Carbon May Be Costly - Obama to End Oil Tax Breaks
- Cap-and-Trade Won't Cause Mass Manufacturing Migration
- Google: Carbon Credit Shopping Ain’t Easy
- Wall Street Journal Editorial - Cap-And-Trade Back Flip
- EU Carbon Prices Seen On Track to Recover
- Cosmic Cooling? Have you noticed how much calmer the solar furnace seems these days?
- Qwest High-Speed Customers Get Free WiFi Access
- Google’s Strength May Be Part of Microsoft Defense Strategy
- Twitter Co-Founder Says Company Not For Sale
- H1N1 Virus Confirmed In Pierce County; State Total Hits 33
- Weyerhaeuser's Credit Rating Cut to Junk by Moody's
- Seattle Times Editorial - Save Sonntag's Audits
- Republican Censured over Bill Expanding Domestic Partnership Rights
- Seattle Streets Honcho under Fire Long Before Snow Fiasco
- Idaho’s Echohawk Vows to Be Effective Voice for Tribes
- Snohomish County Employee Says Trying To Save Money Cost Him Job
- Statue of Liberty's Crown to Re-Open July 4

WORD OF THE DAY

Obstreperous • \ob-STREPP-err-us\ • adjective – 1: marked by unruly or aggressive noisiness: clamorous 2: stubbornly resistant to control

Olaf was spending a peaceful day baking lefske; the cool breeze wafting over the fjord brought the pungent smell of his neighbor’s efforts at replicating the family lutefisk recipe. Efforts that over the last ten years had fallen woefully short. “Too little lye,” mused Olaf to himself. The obstreperous chattering of his impatiently waiting children for the day’s baked treats was the only distraction to the wonderful day.

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

Mason County PUD No. 3 P.U.D. 3 Holds Open House on John's Prairie Facility (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7192/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Oregon - Man Falls Onto Corvallis Electrical Transformer (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2004963~Man_falls_onto_electrical_transformer.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Coal-Fired Power Plants - The Writing on the Wall (The Economist Magazine)
http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13611471&fsrc=rss

Coal Debate Highlights Duke Meeting (Charlotte Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/05/04/daily54.html?ana=from_rss

Joe Kelliher Has A New Job! FPL Group Hires Former Regulator for New VP Position (Miami Herald, FL)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1037279.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Commission To Look At Salmon On The Columbia - Good runs seen for Coho, summer and fall Chinook (Salem Statesman Journal, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090508/OUTDOORS/905080333/1034/SPORTS/Commission+to+look+at+salmon+on+the+Columbia

Yakima River Opens Soon For Hatchery Spring Chinook (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2009191621_yakima_river_opens_soon_for_ha.html

Tribes, Feds Mark Anniversary of Basin Fish Accords (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/571037.html

Sea Lions Seem To Be Steering Clear Of Traps - None captured in last three weeks; 11 taken since March (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090508/NEWS02/705089950/

Gig Harbor Kayakers Paddling For The Plight Of Salmon - Pair heads to Alaska to study salmon (Peninsula Gateway, Gig Harbor, WA)
http://www.gateline.com/104/story/4136.html

Gov't Sticks With Bush-Era Polar Bear Rule (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009196235_apuspolarbearclimate4thldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Silverdale Man Catches Gigantic Halibut (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050709WAB-fish-story-KC.45a3a17.html?rss?npc

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Tough Legislative Session for Environmentalists (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/44573002.html

State Announces Willapa Bay Spartina Plan (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/05/08//area_news/doc4a03834e27570127130879.txt

British Columbia - Independent Power Projects 'Ignoring Rules' - Environment ministry faces 'substantial pressure' from power producers, documents say (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www2.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=216d745b-e1b1-49c3-b09d-2b5e07fd093e&k=1593

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Biodiesel Makers Lash Out at E.P.A. Rule (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/biodiesel-group-lashes-out-at-epa-rule/?partner=rss&emc=rss

Study: Electric Cars May Be More Efficient Than Ethanol (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12319686

What Is The Best Way to Turn Plants into Energy? A new study compares biofuels with bioelectricity (Scientific American)
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bioelectricity-versus-biofuel

Schwarzenegger Touts Solar Technology in San Jose (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12320401

REC’s Pre-Tax Profits More Than Doubled In 2008 (Renewable Energy Focus)
http://www.renewableenergyfocus.com/view/1735/recs-pretax-profits-more-than-doubled-in-2008/

Weyerhaeuser VP Touts Woody Biomass during Longview Visit (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/05/07//area_news/doc4a034ffe38718639729726.txt

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Saskatchewan, Montana Sign Carbon Capture Agreement (CTV, Canada)
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090507/sask_montana_090507/20090507?hub=Canada

U.S. Greens Worry for B.C.'S Carbon Tax (Surrey Leader, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/US_greens_worry_for_BCs_carbon_tax.html

Cutting Carbon May Be Costly - Obama to End Oil Tax Breaks (Washington Times)
http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/08/cutting-carbon-will-aid-savings/

Cap-and-Trade Won't Cause Mass Manufacturing Migration (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/gwmEnergy/idUS280116372820090508

Google: Carbon Credit Shopping Ain’t Easy (Green Tech)
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/google-carbon-credit-shopping-aint-easy-4545/

Wall Street Journal Editorial - Cap-And-Trade Back Flip: Kevin Rudd realizes how much an emissions-trading scheme will cost Australia
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124171882652996961.html

EU Carbon Prices Seen On Track to Recover (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/behindTheScenes/idUKTRE5472DX20090508

Cosmic Cooling? Have you noticed how much calmer the solar furnace seems these days? (Cleveland Plain Dealer, OH)
http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2009/05/cosmic_cooling_have_you_notice.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Qwest High-Speed Customers Get Free WiFi Access at Barnes & Noble, McDonald’s, Starbucks (Denver Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/05/04/daily65.html?ana=from_rss

Google’s Strength May Be Part of Microsoft Defense Strategy (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/08/technology/companies/08soft.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Twitter Co-Founder Says Company Not For Sale (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE54605920090507?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

GENERAL NEWS

H1N1 Virus Confirmed In Pierce County; State Total Hits 33 (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/844126.html

Weyerhaeuser's Credit Rating Cut to Junk by Moody's (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009187114_webweyco07.html?syndication=rss

Seattle Times Editorial - Save Sonntag's Audits
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2009192757_editb08auditor.html

Republican Censured For Co-Sponsoring Bill To Expand Washington's Domestic Partnership Rights (KPQ Radio, Wenatchee, WA)
http://www.kpq.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=995

Seattle Streets Honcho under Fire Long Before Snow Fiasco (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009194374_sdot08m0.html?syndication=rss

Idaho’s Echohawk Vows to Be Effective Voice for Tribes If Named Head of BIA (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2005088~EchoHawk_vows_to_be_effective_voice_for_tribes.html?cid=rss-Idaho_Headlines

Investigators: Snohomish County Employee Says Trying To Save Money Cost Him Job (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050709INV-snohomish-co-director-KS.2b589ef.html?rss

Statue of Liberty's Crown to Re-Open July 4 (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5472AD20090508?feedType=nl&feedName=ustopnewsearly

DIVERSIONS

Tarantula Invasion Overblown, but More, Bigger Spiders May Be in Store
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/science/2009/may/Tarantula-Invasion-Overblown--but-More--Bigger-Spiders-May-Be-in-Store.html

Emma Overtakes Emily as Top Baby Name for Girls; Jacob for Boys
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/08/national/w063850D91.DTL&feed=rss.news

Battle of the Bust Is Over: British Retailer Eliminates Surcharge on Big Bras
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12325690

Stranger Lives In Pa. Family's Attic for a Week
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19385233/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_nots&tmi=sea_nots_1_01000205062009&ts=H

SONG OF THE DAY

Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo&feature=related

Lenny Kravitz - Ain't No Sunshine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ov5CNfkrtU&feature=related

Energy News Digest for May 7, 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)

- Energy Northwest Pulls Plug on Coal/Petcoke Gasification Plant
- Idaho Power Reorganizes, 40 Jobs Affected
- Oregon Supplier to Provide Cable for BPA Line
- Washington Energy Summit: How to Get Stimulus Funds
- Texas - Utility Worker Dies in Trench Accident
- In These Halls of Power, Earplugs Are Required
- Gregoire Urging People to 'Call Before You Dig'
- Columbian Op/Ed - Legal Wrangling Doesn't Help Fish, Or Utility Ratepayers
- Indian Tribes Work To Restore Salmon Habitat
- State Won't Close Wind River, Drano Lake to Chinook Salmon Fishing
- Southern Oregon Fishers Hope To Revive Salmon Recovery Technique
- Lands Chief Settles Dispute with Taylor Shellfish
- The Pika - Tiny Mammal May Need Protection
- State Supreme Court to Take Up Port Angeles Fluoride Petitions
- April Rain and Snow Bolsters Idaho's Water Supply
- California - Sewer Rate Overcharges in Los Altos Could Happen Again Next Year
- California Wind Turbine Firm Announces 1st Sales
- Massachusetts Firm Gains Foothold In Small Wind Power
- Illinois - Should Renewable Energy Be Written Into Law?
- Some Americans Clamor to Try Wind Power At Home
- Anaconda Wave-Power Generator Snakes into Next Stage of Production
- Clark County Receives $354K for Energy Efficiency Efforts
- Racing to Build a Better Light Bulb
- Waxman under Fire on Climate Change
- U.S. House Farm Chief Opposes Climate Change Bill
- Cap and Trade Explained
- Putting a Price on Carbon: An Emissions Cap or a Tax?
- Seattle Times Op/Ed - A Morally Acceptable Solution to Climate Change
- Canada - Ecoflation: Coming to a Market near You
- Apple Rumored to Want to Buy Twitter
- All You Need to Know to Twitter
- The Net's Hunger for Power: Google Responds
- Qwest Launches Rebranding Effort: Wants to Be Seen As Broadband Company
- State Looks to Update Broadband Map of Massachusetts
- Former North Mason School Superintendent Dies
- Not This Month - OT for Wash. Lawmakers Still Up In the Air
- Special Session: Green Energy Yes, Key Arena No
- New Law Requires Wash. to Buy Recycled Paper
- Obama Budget Includes Money for Wash. Doppler
- No Fine for Airline That Dumped Fuel over Puget Sound
- Debating the Wisdom of ‘Swine Flu Parties’
- Senate Approves Ron Sims for HUD Job
- U.S. Postal Service Loses $1.9 Billion (San Francisco Business Times)

WORD OF THE DAY

Oneiric • \oh-NYE-rik \ • adjective – Of or relating to dreams: dreamy

Walter Mitty sat perfectly still at his desk, the light from the open transom slanting across his delicate features and projecting a perfect silhouette on the opposite wall. His oneiric expression hid the adventuresome images that made up his afternoon daydreams. Of course, with Virginia Mayo as his damsel in distress, you could pretty much say that he visited his dreamlike state whenever he could.

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

Energy Northwest Pulls Plug on Coal/Petcoke Gasification Plant (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/05/07//area_news/doc4a02285f6f344415975451.txt

Idaho Power Reorganizes, 40 Jobs Affected (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/842913.html

Oregon Supplier to Provide Cable for BPA Line (Associated Press)
http://www.ktvz.com/Global/story.asp?S=10317440

Washington Energy Summit: How to Get Stimulus Funds (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/archives/168105.asp?source=rss

Texas - Utility Worker Dies in Trench Accident (Dallas Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/05/04/daily34.html?ana=from_rss

In These Halls of Power, Earplugs Are Required (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/nyregion/07rooms.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Gregoire Urging People to 'Call Before You Dig' (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10314763

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbian Op/Ed - Washington View: Legal Wrangling Doesn't Help Fish, Or Utility Ratepayers
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090505/BIZ01/705059937

Indian Tribes Work To Restore Salmon Habitat - Federal government being forced to deal with dams that are eradicating fish (Mother Nature Network)
http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/indian-tribes-work-to-restore-salmon-habitat

State Won't Close Wind River, Drano Lake to Chinook Salmon Fishing (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090505/SPORTS04/705059920

Southern Oregon Fishers Hope To Revive Salmon Recovery Technique (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4936-southern-oregon-fishers-hope-revive-salmon-recovery-technique/

Lands Chief Settles Dispute with Taylor Shellfish (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/06/lands-chief-settles-dispute-with-taylor/?partner=RSS

The Pika - Tiny Mammal May Need Protection (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/science/earth/07brfs-TINYMAMMALMA_BRF.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

State Supreme Court to Take Up Port Angeles Fluoride Petitions (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/4711

April Rain and Snow Bolsters Idaho's Water Supply (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/843770.html

California - Sewer Rate Overcharges In Los Altos Could Happen Again Next Year (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12313745

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

California Wind Turbine Firm Announces 1st Sales (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/07/BUM117G3HF.DTL&feed=rss.business

Massachusetts Firm Gains Foothold In Small Wind Power - Aeronautica partners with Danish company (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2009/05/07/firm_gains_foothold_in_wind_power/

Illinois - Should Renewable Energy Be Written Into Law? (WLS-TV, Chicago)
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6799760

Some Americans Clamor to Try Wind Power At Home (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/burningIssues/idUKTRE5457XA20090506

United Kingdom - Anaconda Wave-Power Generator Snakes into Next Stage of Production (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/06/anaconda-wave-power

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clark County Receives $354K for Energy Efficiency Efforts (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090507/NEWS02/705079939

Racing to Build a Better Light Bulb (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/racing-to-build-a-better-light-bulb/?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Waxman Under Fire On Climate Change - facing fire from all sides over his landmark measure to curb carbon emissions (Politico)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0509/22207.html

U.S. House Farm Chief Opposes Climate Change Bill (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKN0621007620090507

Cap And Trade Explained - The cool basics of the hottest topic in climate change (Boston Phoenix)
http://thephoenix.com/Boston/Life/82547-Cap-and-trade-explained/

Putting a Price on Carbon: An Emissions Cap or a Tax? (Yale Environment 360)
http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2148

Seattle Times Op/Ed - A Morally Acceptable Solution to Climate Change: Earth Ministry in Seattle argues that a cap-and-trade approach is a morally acceptable solution
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009185053_opinc07dye.html

Canada - Ecoflation: Coming to a Market near You (National Post)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/francis/archive/2009/05/07/ecoflation-coming-to-a-market-near-you.aspx

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Apple Rumored to Want to Buy Twitter (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12310541

All You Need to Know to Twitter (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/technology/personaltech/07basics.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

The Net's Hunger for Power: Google Responds (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2009/may/07/google-energy

Qwest Launches Rebranding Effort: Wants to Be Seen As Broadband Company - at 896kbps upstream (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Launches-Rebranding-Effort-102318

State looks to update broadband map of Massachusetts (The Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2009/05/state_looks_to.html

GENERAL NEWS

Former North Mason School Superintendent Dies (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7179/reftab/1632/t/FORMER-NORTH-MASON-SUPER-DIES/Default.aspx

Not This Month - OT for Wash. Lawmakers Still Up In The Air (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009185705_apwaspecialsession.html?syndication=rss

What Were They Thinking - Special Session: Green Energy Yes, Key Arena No - Senate Majority Leader discusses agenda likely to be decided Thursday (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405957_session07.html?source=rss

New Law Requires Wash. to Buy Recycled Paper (Associated Press)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050709POB-AP-paper-recycling-SW.18f3c1e.html?rss

Obama Budget Includes Money for Wash. Doppler (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009191035_apwadopplerradar.html?syndication=rss

No Fine for Airline That Dumped Fuel over Puget Sound (Associated Press)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_050609WAB-AP-airline-fine-KS.262387cd.html?rss

Debating the Wisdom of ‘Swine Flu Parties’ - Deliberately get swine flu? (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/world/americas/07party.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Senate Approves Ron Sims for HUD Job (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/44529382.html

U.S. Postal Service Loses $1.9 Billion (San Francisco Business Times)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/05/04/daily43.html?ana=from_rss

DIVERSIONS

Hawaiian Shirts, Big Business Even In Academia
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009176701_apusfeafashionhawaiianshirts.html?syndication=rss

Dos and Don'ts for Wearing Hawaiian Shirts
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009176706_apusfeafashionhawaiianshirtstips.html?syndication=rss

Sticky Situation: Men Charged With Honey Fraud
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/44495587.html

Woman Sues Wal-Mart Over "Norman the Nutria"
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/07/national/a090147D75.DTL&feed=rss.business

SONG OF THE DAY

Celtic Thunder - Steal Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZzxqSjjt38

Energy News Digest for May 6, 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)

- First Open House on Mason County PUD No. 3 Johns Prairie Operations Center Today
- Truck Stolen From Under Him: California Cable Repairman in Crane Basket Hurt
- Gillnets: Oregon Lawmakers Are Leaving This Tangle for another Day
- BPA News Advisory - Friday, May 8: Northwest Tribes and Federal Agencies Commemorate Columbia River Basin Fish Accords
- Wash. Sea Otters Face Potential Disease Threats
- Canada - New Rules Eyed for Whale-Watching Tour Operators
- California Scientists Side with Drakes Bay Oyster Farmer
- Avista Corp. Deal Allows Spokane Falls to Flow All Summer
- Eastern Oregon Dam Site Group Will Update Commissioners
- After Emergency Landing: Washington May Fine Airline for Dumping Fuel
- Rules to Limit Emissions in the Making of Ethanol
- Lack of Money Biggest Block for Biofuels
- Compressed Air: A Down-To-Earth Approach to Storing Energy
- Reuters Op/Ed - Wind Energy is Too Inefficient to Catch On
- PUD 3 and Mason County EDC Promote Conservation Programs
- Chelan PUD Sets Conservation Goals
- Tiny Particles Make LED Light More Pleasing
- News Release - Utilities Aim to Save Billions with Energy Efficiency
- Obama Urges Dems to Compromise on Warming
- Prince Charles Ramps up Rain Forest Effort
- Latest Round of Microsoft Layoffs May Not Be Last
- Libraries Eye Stimulus Money for Their Web Access
- Gregoire Names New Head of Information Services
- North Carolina Broadband Bill Shelved For Now
- Hawaii Broadband Bill Fails in State Legislature
- Google and Others Urge Inventory of National Airwaves
- Qwest’s 1st Rule of Bandwidth Caps: Don’t Talk about the Caps
- A Fifth of US Homes Have Cell Phones, No Landlines
- Date Set For Charter Communications Reorganization Plan Hearing
- Swine Flu Confirmed In Washington State
- Belfair-Tahuya Bridge to Close Overnight
- Locke Names Courtney Gregoire Legislative Director
- Viaduct Replacement Foreshadowing? Unexpected Holes Result from Sound Transit Tunneling
- Federal Stimulus Spending Could Take Us Down the Wrong Road
- Federal Way Council Ousts City Manager
- Portland’s Quality Of Life 42nd-Best in the World

WORD OF THE DAY

Kosher • \KOE-sherr\ • adjective - 1a: sanctioned by Jewish law; especially: ritually fit for use b: selling or serving food ritually fit according to Jewish law 2: being proper, acceptable, or satisfactory

There’s got to be a sentence that I could use today for kosher that would relate to the swine flu, but for the life of me I cannot come up with an appropriate example. Therefore I’m leaving it up to you, the FONDS (friends of the news digest) to come up with your own. It’s easy and fun!

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

First Open House on Mason County PUD No. 3 Johns Prairie Operations Center Today (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7164/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Truck Stolen From Under Him: California Cable Repairman in Crane Basket Hurt (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2000593~Cable_repairman_in_crane_basket_hurt_in_carjacking.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

FISH & WILDLIFE

Gillnets: Oregon Lawmakers Are Leaving This Tangle for another Day (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/05/gillnets_lawmakers_are_leaving.html

BPA News Advisory - Friday, May 8: Northwest Tribes and Federal Agencies Commemorate Columbia River Basin Fish Accords (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/271651/

Wash. Sea Otters Face Potential Disease Threats (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009179603_apwaseaotters2ndldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Canada - New Rules Eyed for Whale-Watching Tour Operators (Oak Bay News, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/44383972.html

California Scientists Side with Drakes Bay Oyster Farmer “…second time in a year that the Park Service has been put under a spotlight for fudging data to show that the company harmed the environment…” (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/06/MNIQ17ERPE.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Avista Corp. Deal Allows Spokane Falls to Flow All Summer (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009180914_spokanefalls06.html?syndication=rss

Eastern Oregon Dam Site Group Will Update Commissioners (Baker City Herald, OR)
http://www.bakercityherald.com/Local-News/Dam-site-group-will-update-commissioners

After Emergency Landing: Washington May Fine Airline for Dumping Fuel (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/841288.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Rules to Limit Emissions in the Making of Ethanol - rules would limit emissions of climate-changing gases from the manufacture of ethanol (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/business/energy-environment/06ethanol.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Lack of Money Biggest Block for Biofuels (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/06/BUTB17F9IA.DTL&feed=rss.business

Compressed Air: A Down-To-Earth Approach to Storing Energy (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4921-down-earth-approach-storing-energy/

Reuters Op/Ed - Wind Energy is Too Inefficient to Catch On
http://www.opposingviews.com/articles/opinion-wind-energy-is-too-inefficient-to-catch-on

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

PUD 3 and Mason County EDC Promote Conservation Programs (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=551

Chelan PUD Sets Conservation Goals (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090506/NEWS04/705069984

Tiny Particles Make LED Light More Pleasing (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/05/financial/f135749D87.DTL&feed=rss.business

News Release - Utilities Aim to Save Billions with Energy Efficiency (Washington Energy Services)
http://www.washingtonenergy.com/articles/article/205/utilities-aim-to-save-billions-with-energy-efficiency

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Obama Urges Dems to Compromise on Warming (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/05/05/MNGT17F9HP.DTL&type=politics

Prince Charles Ramps Up Rain Forest Effort (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/prince-charles-ramps-up-rain-forest-effort/?partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Latest Round of Microsoft Layoffs May Not Be Last (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2009180671_microsoft06.html?syndication=rss

Libraries Eye Stimulus Money for Their Web Access (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/05/financial/f090134D80.DTL&feed=rss.business

Gregoire Names New Head of Information Services (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/841720.html

North Carolina Broadband Bill Shelved For Now - State will study bill's impact in more detail (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/North-Carolina-Broadband-Bill-Shelved-102300

Hawaii Broadband Bill Fails in State Legislature (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/06/financial/f072537D95.DTL&feed=rss.business

Google and Others Urge Inventory of National Airwaves (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12300916

Qwest’s 1st Rule of Bandwidth Caps: Don’t Talk about the Caps (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/05/05/qwest-the-first-rule-of-bandwidth-caps-is-dont-talk-about-bandwidth-caps/

A Fifth of US Homes Have Cell Phones, No Landlines (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/06/national/w090056D59.DTL&feed=rss.news

Date Set For Charter Communications Reorganization Plan Hearing (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/05/05/financial/f135743D98.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Swine Flu Confirmed In Washington State (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009180832_flu06m0.html?syndication=rss

Belfair-Tahuya Bridge to Close Overnight (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/may/05/belfair-tahuya-bridge-to-close-overnight/?partner=RSS

Locke Names Courtney Gregoire Legislative Director (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_commerce_gregoire.html

Viaduct Replacement Foreshadowing? Unexpected Holes Result from Sound Transit Tunneling (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009180823_hole06m0.html

Federal Stimulus Spending Could Take Us Down the Wrong Road (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/2009/05/06/transportation/18989/

Federal Way Council Ousts City Manager (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009182803_webfedwaymanager06m.html?syndication=rss

Portland’s Quality Of Life 42nd-Best in the World – Seattle is 50th (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/05/04/daily26.html?ana=from_rss

Link to Quality of Life Summary is here (Mercer Quality of Living Survey)
http://www.mercer.com/referencecontent.htm?idContent=1173105#Top_50_cities:_Quality_of_living

DIVERSIONS

Afghanistan’s Only Pig Quarantined in Flu Fear
http://www.timescolonist.com/Health/Afghanistan+only+quarantined+fear/1565423/story.html

British Scientists Unveil Chocolate-Fueled Race Car They Hope Will Go 145 Mph
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12298720

Thieves Use a Crane to Steal Man's Vacation Home and Everything Inside
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12307156

German Court Bans Very Long Names
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/world/europe/06germany.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

String of Pearls - Glenn Miller and his Orchestra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2uoH6kcpMc