The Energy News Digest

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Energy News Digest for August 4, 2009

Monday, August 3, 2009

Energy News Digest for August 3, 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)

• BPA: Plan To Sell Energy to Aluminum Smelters Draws Ire of Franklin PUD
• Snohomish PUD and AIG Duking It Out In New York Courtroom
• Grays Harbor County PUD Power Rates Won’t Go Up This Year
• BPA Sets Rules to Deal with "Explosive" Power Growth
• Columnist - Hydro Projects Hold Much Promise
• News Release - Puget Sound Energy Files Updated Energy Strategy
• BPA Power Line Installation; WSDOT Pavement Repairs Will Impact Traffic This Week
• Natural Gas Pipeline Proposal Topic Of Fed Meetings
• Op/Ed - California should revive nuclear energy option
• If Nuclear Power Has a More Promising Future…
• Pacific Gas & Electric Workers Get $17.25 Million in OT Case
• Texas - Electricity customers may pay for Oncor Smart meters
• Electric Distribution Co-Ops Report Strong Performance during Downturn
• Northern Wasco County PUD Building Expansion Project Nears End
• Bill Opens Possibility of Lower Snake River Dam Removal
• Redfish Lake Sockeye Making A Comeback After Near Extinction
• Fall Salmon Season Opens Today In Columbia River Basin
• Alaska - Declining King Salmon Run Devastating to River Villages
• Town on Columbia, Tribes Clash Over 1855 Treaty
• Quotas on the Way to Oregon Fisheries, Bolstering Stocks
• BPA Plans Public Meeting On Hatchery Changes
• Kittitas County - Lawmakers Address Exempt Well Moratorium
• Idaho Water Officials Enforce Curtailment Order
• Tribes Combine Science, Canoes for Water Quality
• Utility Raises Cleanup Cost in Tennessee
• Wildlife Hinders (Radar Ridge) Wind Farm Strategy
• Sage Grouse Unlikely Focus Of Wyoming Wind Wars
• Montana Wind Farm Taking Toll on Bats, Birds
• Oregon Governor Signals Intent to Veto Rollback of Wind Energy Tax Breaks
• $100 Million - Kittitas Solar Plant Could Be Super Expensive
• Rep Inslee - House Will Get another Shot at Feed-In Tariffs
• Offshore Windmills Hold Clean-Energy Promise
• Oregon – Port Of Morrow's Bio-Gen Power Plant Finds Buyer
• Editorial – Renewable Energy: Power Co-Ops Should Quit Whining
• Renewable Energy - The Transmission Question
• Alaska – Home Wind Turbine Looks Good As Energy Costs Rise
• Weak Economy Makes Solar Panels More Affordable to Homeowners
• EPA Ranks Top 20 On-Site Green Power Producers
• $23 Million for Weatherization Work Spreads Across Washington State
• Taking Energy Credit Where It's Due
• Feds Warn About Misleading Claims of Benefits from Energy-Saving Devices
• Duke Energy Elbows Co-ops for Carbon Permits in Climate Measure
• Clean-Tech Is On the Rebound from a Steep Plunge in Investments
• Op/Ed - Falling Behind On Green Tech
• Clearwire to Launch WiMAX in 10 U.S. Cities
• Kitsap County Backs Out of Agreement for High-Tech Development
• Cable Industry: Our Awesomeness Cannot Be Denied
• Wildfire Contained In Mason County
• Fires in Olympics Prompts More Trail Closures
• Judge To Consider WaMu Exec's 'Golden Parachutes'
• Weyerhaeuser's Quarterly Loss Widens
• Bank Teller Tackles Suspected Robber, Gets Canned
• AP newsman Rory Marshall dead at 54

WORD OF THE DAY – THE HAIKU VERSION

Ideate • \EYE-dee-ate\ • verb – To form an idea or conception of - to form an idea

Ideate a Plan
Put it into Motion Now
Seemed Right at the Time

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

BPA: Plan To Sell Energy to Aluminum Smelters Draws Ire of Franklin PUD (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1406/story/667771.html

Snohomish PUD and AIG Duking It Out In New York Courtroom (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090801/NEWS01/708019920

Grays Harbor County PUD Power Rates Won’t Go Up This Year (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/07/31/local_news/doc4a732e2e65b2c975321488.txt

BPA Sets Rules to Deal with "Explosive" Power Growth (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ARTCL&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=367212&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Spokesman Review Columnist - Hydro Projects Hold Much Promise
http://www.pennenergy.com/index/articles/newsdisplay/s-133672955.html

News Release - Puget Sound Energy Files Updated Energy Strategy with State Regulators (BusinessWire)
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/worldenergysource/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090730005203&newsLang=en

BPA Power Line Installation; WSDOT Pavement Repairs Will Impact Traffic This Week (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7938/reftab/1632/t/POWER-LINE-INSTALLATION-AND-PAVEMENT-REPAIRS-WILL-IMPACT-TRAFFIC-THIS-WEEK/Default.aspx

Natural Gas Pipeline Proposal Topic Of Fed Meetings - It would run along Washington side of Columbia River Gorge (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090803/NEWS02/708039982

Sacramento Bee Op/Ed - California should revive nuclear energy option
http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/2078569.html

If Nuclear Power Has a More Promising Future ... Seth Grae Wants to Be the One Leading the Charge (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/24/AR2009072401847.html?nav=rss_email/components

Pacific Gas & Electric Workers Get $17.25 Million in OT Case (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12969243?nclick_check=1

Texas - Electricity customers may pay for Oncor Smart meters: Whether it was Oncor's $93 million mistake or the Public Utility Commission's, electricity customers will probably end up paying for it (Dallas Morning News, TX)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-oncor_03bus.ART.State.Edition1.3cf2fb0.html

Electric Distribution Co-Ops Report Strong Performance during Downturn (Penn Energy)
http://www.pennenergy.com/index/articles/display/367251/s-articles/s-utility-automation-engineering-td/s-industry-news/s-electric-distribution-co-ops-report-strong-performance-during-downturn.html

Northern Wasco County PUD Building Expansion Project Nears End (Dalles Chronicle, OR)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2009/07/news07-31-09-02.shtml

FISH & WILDLIFE

Bill Opens Possibility of Lower Snake River Dam Removal (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/830620.html

Redfish Lake Sockeye Making A Comeback After Near Extinction (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009583916_outn02.html?syndication=rss

Fall Salmon Season Opens Today In Columbia River Basin (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/830573.html

Alaska - Declining King Salmon Run Devastating to River Villages: Three years of weak returns raise questions on bycatch (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/885663.html

Town on Columbia, Tribes Clash Over 1855 Treaty (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_or_fishing_rights.html

Quotas on the Way to Oregon Fisheries, Bolstering Stocks (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/08/quotas_on_the_way_to_oregon_fi.html

BPA Plans Public Meeting On Hatchery Changes - Events provide for community input on upgrades and improvements (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/297389/

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Kittitas County - Lawmakers Address Exempt Well Moratorium (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/07/31/news/doc4a737a3aa8672358898415.txt

Idaho Water Officials Enforce Curtailment Order (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/927857.html

Tribes Combine Science, Canoes for Water Quality (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_paddling_for_science.html?source=pimail

Utility Raises Cleanup Cost in Tennessee (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/us/02tennessee.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wildlife Hinders Wind Farm Strategy - Turbines not the obvious "winner" state initially thought (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090802/NEWS02/708029968/Wildlife+hinders+wind+farm+strategy

Sage Grouse Unlikely Focus Of Wyoming Wind Wars (Reuters)
http://in.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idINTRE5720AF20090803

Montana Wind Farm Taking Toll on Bats, Birds (Associated Press)
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_ef85f7f5-8bf2-5263-9915-5cd16c3cab6c.html

Oregon Governor Signals Intent to Veto Rollback of Wind Energy Tax Breaks “...They don't employ very many people and they send most of their power to California…” (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/07/kulongoski_signals_intent_to_v.html

$100 Million - Kittitas Solar Plant Could Be Super Expensive (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/408805_solarplant3.html?source=rss

Rep Inslee - House Will Get another Shot at Feed-In Tariffs (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/08/03/03greenwire-house-will-get-another-shot-at-feed-in-tariffs-70749.html

Offshore Windmills Hold Clean-Energy Promise (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/08/02/BA0Q18ABIT.DTL&feed=rss.news

Oregon – Port Of Morrow's Bio-Gen Power Plant Finds Buyer (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)
http://eastoregonian.com/main.asp?FromHome=1&TypeID=1&ArticleID=96068&SectionID=13&SubSectionID=48

Fargo Forum Editorial – Renewable Energy: The Power Co-Ops Should Quit Whining
http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/248547/

The Transmission Question - There will be no magic involved in adding new renewable energy to the electricity mix (EnergyBiz Insider)
http://www.scoop.com/remote/article/include/104988765/53616c7465645f5ff99a2eb05b194f8087766c98003ea9a176e1be2836949b2d

Alaska – Home Wind Turbine Looks Good As Energy Costs Rise (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
http://www.adn.com/3221/story/884945.html

Weak Economy Makes Solar Panels More Affordable to Homeowners (LA Times)
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cover-solar2-2009aug02,0,7808025.story

EPA Ranks Top 20 On-Site Green Power Producers (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/mnEnergy/idUS176651644220090731

Here’s the Top-20 List; two are in Oregon
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top20onsite.htm

Top 20 Local Government
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/top20localgov.htm

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

$23 Million for Weatherization Work Spreads Across Washington State (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009584131_weatherize02m.html

Taking Energy Credit Where It's Due (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/business/story/668315.html

Feds Warn About Misleading Claims of Benefits from Energy-Saving Devices (Federal Trade Commission)
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/04/energysurf2002.shtm

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Duke Energy Elbows Co-ops for Carbon Permits in Climate Measure (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aQQH_8kliSTU

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Clean-Tech Is On the Rebound from a Steep Plunge in Investments (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12969563

Washington Post Op/Ed - Falling Behind On Green Tech
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/02/AR2009080201563.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Clearwire to Launch WiMAX in 10 U.S. Cities - The markets include Boise, Idaho; Bellingham, Wash. (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/08/03/clearwire-to-launch-wimax-in-10-u-s-cities-in-september/

Kitsap County Backs Out of Agreement for High-Tech Development near Kitsap Lake (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/jul/30/county-backs-out-of-agreement-for-planned-near/

Cable Industry: Our Awesomeness Cannot Be Denied - NCTA says cable efforts have saved consumers $35 billion EVERY YEAR (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Cable-Industry-Our-Awesomeness-Cannot-Be-Denied-103702

GENERAL NEWS

Wildfire Contained In Mason County (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20259941/detail.html

Fires in Olympics Prompts More Trail Closures
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/aug/02/fires-in-olympics-prompts-more-trail-closures/?partner=RSS

Judge To Consider WaMu Exec's 'Golden Parachutes' (NW Cable News)
http://www.nwcn.com/topstories/stories/NW_080309WAB-wamu-golden-parachutes-SW.a3bdcbe8.html

Weyerhaeuser's Quarterly Loss Widens (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/31/business/AP-US-Earns-Weyerhaeuser.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Bank Teller Tackles Suspected Robber, Gets Canned (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/52271217.html

AP newsman Rory Marshall dead at 54 (Sorry to see this today in the SF Chronicle. I always liked sending feeds to Rory. He seemed like such a good guy.)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/08/02/national/a162757D47.DTL&feed=rss.business

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Raccoons Infest Storage Unit, and Company Won't Pay For Damage
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-thu-problem-public-storage-jul30,0,2048166.column

Phone Lost 4 Days At Sea Found, Recharged, Returned
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE56U4A920090731?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Ukuleles Have Gone Viral
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ukuleles25-2009jul25,0,5302658.story

New York Post Sends In the Clown – The Newspaper made the phrase “media circus” literal when it hired a clown to roam the corridors of the New York State Capitol
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/business/media/03clown.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

Judy Collins - Send in the Clowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5yG1Dy5b4A

Roger Whittaker - Send in the Clowns (I like Roger Whittaker, but this version will haunt your dreams for weeks!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7TriKN-8i8

Friday, July 31, 2009

Energy News Digest for July 31, 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 PUD Financial Analysis Determines Utility to Face Significantly Increased Costs
• Inland Power to Delay Rate Increase until Next Spring
• Grant PUD to Invest In Nuclear Power Study
• Northern Wasco County PUD Sets Power Record
• Montana - Judge Reaffirms That City Must Turn Over Southern Montana Electric Generation-Related Papers
• Ohio - Ormet Aluminum Files Layoff Notice for All Workers
• Op/Ed - Help Avoid Job Losses at Ormet
• Sector Snap: Utilities Rated "Neutral" On Outlook
• In Canadian Hydro Move TransAlta Puts Its Credit Rating First
• Constellation Energy Earnings Plummet to $28.3 Million in 2nd Quarter
• Energy Regulator Pushes Back Review of Constellation Energy-EDF Deal
• One in Ten Americans Say They Are Knowledgeable Where Electricity Comes From
• Fish for Dinner: Overfishing Easing In Some Areas
• Scientists Who Debated On Fisheries Team Up For Comprehensive Study
• Imperiled Fisheries Make a Comeback, Study Shows
• Op/Ed - It’s Harvest! It’s Harvest! It’s Harvest!
• Idaho Sockeye Start To Trickle In - At least 30 ‘red fish’ have arrived
• Montana – Yellowtail Dam Problem Gets Fish Stranded
• Fall Fishing Ramps up Saturday
• Oregon - Record Kokanee at Wallowa Lake Comes With a Down Side
• End May Be Near In Kittitas Wells Dispute
• Idaho Orders Shut Down Of Groundwater Wells
• Oregon Views Aired On Biomass Power Plant
• Heat Wave Demonstrates Limitations to Wind Power
• Becalmed - After a record year, America’s wind industry is suffering growing pains
• North Carolina - Utilities Chase Distant Winds: Critics cry foul
• New York Wind Energy Corruption Probe Reaches Vermont
• Developers Set To Equip Wind-Powered Home
• British Columbia Green Power Gets Red Light
• Solar Integration - PV Powered, Portland General Electric Receive Up To $3M
• Big Price Rise for Western Australia Users of Renewable Energy
• Efficiency Drive Could Cut Energy Use 23% by 2020, Study Finds
• Free Light Bulb Promotion Comes to Kitsap This Week
• Summer Conservation Program Helps Youths Make a Different Kind of Green
• Chicago - South Side Solar Plant Closer to Reality
• Op/Ed: The Folly Of 'Magical Solutions' For Targeting Carbon Emissions
• Google Voice Ban Is Clear Network Neutrality Violation
• Gunman in Wal-Mart Robbery Pleads Guilty
• Time running out for Shelton’s Historic St. Edwards Church
• Teenager Drowns In Kitsap County
• Dosewallips Area - Peninsula Cools Off, While Constance Fire Spreads
• Threshold Met - Anti-Gay Initiative: 137,689 Signatures, Sec of State Says
• Pot Operation Busted In Lincoln County Cornfield
• Increasing Postal Deficits Intensify Talks on Solution
• Editorial - Lost Money Is Teachable Moment for Evergreen

WORD OF THE DAY

Mohair • \MOH-hair\ • noun - A fabric or yarn made wholly or in part of the long silky hair of the Angora goat; also: this hair

Say, Candy and Ronnie, have you seen them yet
But they’re so spaced out,
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jetssssssss
Oh but they’re weird and they’re wonderful
Oh Bennie she’s really keen
She’s got electric boots, a mohair suit
You know I read it in a magazine
B-B-B-Bennie and the Jetssssssss

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 PUD Financial Analysis Determines Utility to Face Significantly Increased Costs (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=721

Inland Power to Delay Rate Increase until Next Spring (Spokane Journal of Business)
http://www.spokanejournal.com/article.php?id=4978

Grant PUD to Invest In Nuclear Power Study (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090730/NEWS04/707309881

Northern Wasco County PUD Sets Power Record (Dalles Chronicle, OR)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2009/07/news07-30-09-02.shtml

Montana - Judge Reaffirms That City Must Turn Over Southern Montana Electric Generation-Related Papers (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090731/NEWS01/907310316/1002/news01

Ohio - Ormet Aluminum Files Layoff Notice for All Workers “…Ormet has been embroiled in a battle with alumina supplier…accused of failing to deliver raw materials…The company (has also been) granted an electricity rate reduction from American Electric Power…” (Marietta Times, OH)
http://www.mariettatimes.com/page/content.detail/id/514611.html?nav=5002

Wheeling News Register Op/Ed - Help Avoid Job Losses at Ormet
http://www.theintelligencer.net/page/content.detail/id/526579.html?nav=511

Sector Snap: Utilities Rated "Neutral" On Outlook (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009570695_apusutilitiessectorsnap.html?syndication=rss

In Canadian Hydro Move TransAlta Puts Its Credit Rating First (The Financial Post, Canada)
http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1847282

Constellation Energy Earnings Plummet to $28.3 Million in 2nd Quarter (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2009/07/27/daily59.html?ana=from_rss

Maryland Energy Regulator Pushes Back Review of Constellation Energy-EDF Deal (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2009/07/27/daily56.html?ana=from_rss

One in Ten Americans Say They Are Knowledgeable Where Electricity Comes From (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=367084&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fish for Dinner: Overfishing Easing In Some Areas (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009570347_apusscisavingseafood.html?syndication=rss

Scientists Who Debated On Fisheries Team Up For Comprehensive Study (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009572947_fisheries31m.html?syndication=rss

Imperiled Fisheries Make a Comeback, Study Shows – Harvest Control Works (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111376512&ft=1&f=2

Othello Outlook Op/Ed - It’s Harvest! It’s Harvest! It’s Harvest!
http://othellooutlook.com/?p=3613

Idaho Sockeye Start To Trickle In - At least 30 ‘red fish’ have arrived in the Sawtooth Valley so far (Idaho Mountain Express & Guide, Sun Valley)
http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005127213

Montana – Yellowtail Dam Problem Gets Fish Stranded, Loss of Trout Blamed On Malfunctioning Gate (Billings Gazette, MT)
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_5dc82da8-7d92-11de-b517-001cc4c002e0.html

Fall Fishing Ramps up Saturday (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20090730/SPORTS04/907309988

Oregon - Record Kokanee at Wallowa Lake Comes With a Down Side (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/07/record_kokanee_at_wallowa_lake.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

End May Be Near In Kittitas Wells Dispute (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/925596.html

Idaho Orders Shut Down Of Groundwater Wells (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/926021.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Views Aired On Biomass Power Plant - A proposed wood-fired boiler at a local sawmill is either a great new source of sustainable electricity…or a burdensome polluter that will sicken neighbors and foul the air (Eugene Register Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/updates/17958982-55/story.csp

Heat Wave Demonstrates Limitations to Wind Power (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/mnEnergy/idUS86005469820090731

Becalmed - After a record year, America’s wind industry is suffering growing pains (The Economist)
http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14140349

North Carolina - Utilities Chase Distant Winds: Critics cry foul over buying of renewable energy credits (News & Observer, Raleigh, NC)
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1628333.html

New York Wind Energy Corruption Probe Reaches Vermont (Rutland Herald, VT)http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20090731/NEWS03/907310367/0/NEWS02

Developers Set To Equip Wind-Powered Home (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090731/BIZ01/707319976/-1/BIZ

British Columbia Green Power Gets Red Light (Surrey Leader, BC)
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/business/Green_power_gets_red_light.html

Solar Integration - PV Powered, Portland General Electric Receive Up To $3M (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/07/27/daily47.html?ana=from_rss

Big Price Rise for Western Australia Users of Renewable Energy (Perth Sunday Times, Australia)
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25864647-2761,00.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Efficiency Drive Could Cut Energy Use 23% by 2020, Study Finds (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/business/energy-environment/30energy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Free Light Bulb Promotion Comes to Kitsap This Week (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/jul/30/free-light-bulb-promotion-comes-to-kitsap-this/?partner=RSS

Summer Conservation Program Helps Youths Make a Different Kind of Green (Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, CA)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/environment/ci_12938558?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Chicago - South Side Solar Plant Closer to Reality (Chicago Public Radio)
http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=35853

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

United Kingdom – Guardian Op/Ed: The Folly Of 'Magical Solutions' For Targeting Carbon Emissions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/jul/31/network-climate-change

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Google Voice Ban Is Clear Network Neutrality Violation - And both AT&T and Apple should share the blame (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Google-Voice-Ban-Is-Clear-Network-Neutrality-Violation-103692

GENERAL NEWS

Gunman in Wal-Mart Robbery Pleads Guilty (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=195017

Time running out for Shelton’s Historic St. Edwards Church (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7920/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Teenager Drowns In Kitsap County (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20232799/detail.html

Dosewallips Area - Peninsula Cools Off, While Constance Fire Spreads (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090731/news/307319991

Threshold Met - Anti-Gay Initiative: 137,689 Signatures, Sec of State Says (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/175049.asp?source=pimail

Pot Operation Busted In Lincoln County Cornfield (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/30/pot-operation-busted-lincoln-county-cornfield/

Increasing Postal Deficits Intensify Talks on Solution (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/business/30postal.html?_r=1&ref=business

Olympian Editorial - Lost Money Is Teachable Moment for Evergreen
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/926289.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Texting Is 23-Times Riskier Than Using Cell Phone While Driving
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/07/texting-vs-cell-phone-risk-dangers-while-driving.html?EXTKEY=I91ECON&CMP=OTC-ConsumeristLinks

34 Hospitalized After Co-Worker Sprays Perfume
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20226511/detail.html

Stolen Sand? Mexico Shuts Cancun Beach
http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/20232586/detail.html

Tiger Flees Magic Act Into Vegas Streets - Residents Reported Seeing Tiger Wandering Streets
http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/20233293/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Jefferson Starship - Ride the Tiger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIufUOm_cWY

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Energy News Digest for July 30, 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)

• Heat Brings Puget Sound Power Outages
• Portland Area Consumes Electricity at Record Rate
• Bonneville Power Hikes Utility Rates - Lewis County PUD
• Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Residential Customers to Bear Brunt of Rate Increase
• A Change in the Wind's Direction: BPA Issues Final Record of Decision
• Chelan PUD Loses Potential Earnings in Lehman Deal
• Tacoma Power Settlement - Skokomish Tribe Reclaims Its Land, Breath
• US Dam Threatens to Flood BC Valley
• FERC Official: Better Grid Needed - Presence of BPA gives Pacific Northwest advantage
• Seattle City Light Chief Donates His 40k Bonus
• Avista Rewards Work Well Done - $2.3 million in bonuses
• Canadian Company Acquiring Montana Coal-To-Liquids Company
• Alaska - Golden Valley Electric Association Mulls Pre-Pay Electricity Option
• California Utility Pays Nearly $15 Million in 1999 Wildfire Case
• Smart Meters - New Fees Lurk In Texas Electricity Bills
• Senate Passes Energy And Water Bill – to close the Yucca Mountain
• Power Glut Forces United Kingdom Utilities to Idle Plants, Cut Spending
• Coho Run Projected To Be Largest since 2001
• Salmon Are Biting Like Crazy in Several Areas off The Coast
• King Salmon Are Mostly A No Show In Puget Sound
• Oregon Governor Threatens To Use Veto on Hatchery, Judicial Bills
• Trout Take a Leap off Dam For The Sake Of Science, Other Fish
• Pikeminnow Anglers Get Extra August Cash
• Warm Weather Prompts Oyster Health Warning
• Geoduck Season Carefully Monitored In WA
• Jellyfish May Help Keep Planet Cool by Mixing Seawater
• Mason County Water Use Restrictions
• Idaho Water Resources Must Reconsider Some Decisions
• Polluted Beach Closures on the Decline
• BPA Chart Shows Real Time Wind Generation
• BLM Seeks Public Input on Steens Mountain Wind Power Transmission Line
• U.S. Wind Industry Installs 1,200 MW in Second Quarter
• Wind Turbines 'Will Disrupt Sleep'
• Energy Giant's Adverts Showed Wind Turbines Half Size Of Those Planned
• Who Will Survive The Solar Energy Shakeout?
• Oregon Eases Ethanol Requirements
• The Dark Secret of Light-Emitting Diodes
• Shedding a New, Electricity-Saving Light on Retail Outlets
• Chelan PUD Nixes Weatherization Loans; To Give Cash Incentives
• GE's Smart (and Subsidized) Appliances
• White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost Cutters
• U.S. Senate Climate Bill to Have Tough Market Controls
• Some Little States with Big Emissions Could See Allowance Windfall
• Natural-Gas Companies Challenge Coal Industry on Climate Change Bill
• Farm Lobby Divided Over Climate Bill
• Consumer Alert: Is That Business Really Green?
• Chehalis to Sell Wi-Fi Equipment for $5,000
• Microsoft and Yahoo Are Linked Up. Now What?
• Does the Microsoft-Yahoo Deal Matter?
• An Internet Landmark Heads to the Recycle Bin
• 104 - Need We Say More? High temperature ties record from 1981
• Relief from Heat Still A Few Days Away
• Lit Cigarette Blamed for Brush Fire along I-5 near Federal Way
• Wash. Gov Opposing Revenue-Cap I-1033
• Ben Settle Update - Judge Halts Release of Wash. Referendum Signatures

WORD OF THE DAY

Con amore • \kahn-uh-MOR-ee\ • adverb - 1: with love, devotion, or zest 2: in a tender manner -- used as a direction in music

As the throbbing strings from his well-worn Percy Faith album swelled in the background, Aloise sidled up “con amore” to his date. “My Dear,” he began, “your beauty is beyond compare. Excepting, of course, a mint-condition Superman #1 comic book.” The last sound of the night was the skipping needle of his record player, dislodged by the thunderous slamming of the door has his date fled the apartment.

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

Heat Brings Puget Sound Power Outages (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=194890

Portland Area Consumes Electricity at Record Rate (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/07/portland_area_consumes_electri.html

Bonneville Power Hikes Utility Rates - Lewis County PUD Will See $2 Million Increase in Annual Cost, Manager Says (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/07/28/news/doc4a6f36e868647512825669.txt

Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Residential Customers To Bear Brunt Of Rate Increase (Curry Coastal Pilot, Brookings, OR)
http://www.currypilot.com/20090729113597/News/Local-News/Residential-customers-to-bear-brunt-of-rate-increase

A Change in the Wind's Direction: BPA Issues Final Record of Decision in 2010 Rate Case (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/stoel-rives-6442/news/article/2009/07/a-change-in-the-winds-direction-bpa-issues-final-record-of-decision-in-2010-rate-case?cmpid=rss

Chelan PUD Loses Potential Earnings in Lehman Deal (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090728/NEWS04/707289966/1001/NEWS04

Tacoma Power Settlement - Skokomish Tribe Reclaims Its Land, Breath (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009565074_rename30m.html?syndication=rss

US Dam Threatens to Flood BC Valley (Epoch Times)
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/20315/

FERC Official: Better Grid Needed - Presence of BPA gives Pacific Northwest advantage (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/29/official-better-grid-needed/

Seattle City Light Chief Donates His 40k Bonus (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/edcetera/2009553166_seattle_city_light_chief_gives.html

Avista Rewards Work Well Done - $2.3 million in bonuses paid to 1,400 workers last year (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/29/avista-rewards-work-well-done/

Canadian Company Acquiring Montana Coal-To-Liquids Company (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2141332~Canadian_company_acquiring_coal_to_liquids_company.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

Alaska - Golden Valley Electric Association Mulls Pre-Pay Electricity Option (Fairbands News Miner, AK)
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/jul/28/gvea-mulls-pre-pay-electricity-option/

California Utility Pays Nearly $15 Million in 1999 Wildfire Case (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/28/state/n161101D44.DTL&feed=rss.business

Smart Meters - New Fees Lurk In Texas Electricity Bills (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6553861.html

Senate Passes Energy And Water Bill – to close the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste facility in Nevada (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009560285_apuscongressspending.html?syndication=rss

Power Glut Forces United Kingdom Utilities to Idle Plants, Cut Spending (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=adss.SrUxw90

FISH & WILDLIFE

Coho Run Projected To Be Largest since 2001 (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?Coho-Run-Projected-To-Be-Largest-since-2=1&blockID=66100&feedID=410

Salmon Are Biting Like Crazy in Several Areas off The Coast (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/outdoors/story/924900.html

King Salmon Are Mostly A No Show In Puget Sound - hope is the good fishing at Sekiu will eventually head this way (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2009560126_king_salmon_are_mostly_a_no_sh.html

Oregon Governor Threatens To Use Veto on Hatchery, Judicial Bills (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/07/kulongoski_threatens_to_use_ve.html

Trout Take a Leap off Dam For The Sake Of Science, Other Fish - Data will be used to help steelhead, Chinook (Statesman-Journal, Salem, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090730/GREEN/907300337/1001

Pikeminnow Anglers Get Extra August Cash - Weekly drawings will award $1,000 prizes to 60 lucky anglers (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/296815/

Warm Weather Prompts Oyster Health Warning (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_072809HEB-oyster-bacteria-warning-TP.864dd614.html?rss

Geoduck Season Carefully Monitored In WA (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_072809WAB-geoduck-KS.860f6fbe.html?rss

Jellyfish May Help Keep Planet Cool by Mixing Seawater (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111346982&ps=cprs

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason County Water Use Restrictions for Beards Cove, Rustlewood & Hartstene Pointe (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7906/reftab/1632/t/WATER-USE-RESTRICTIONS-FOR-BEARDS-COVE-RUSTLEWOOD--HARTSTENE-POINTE/Default.aspx

Idaho Water Resources Must Reconsider Some Decisions (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/924633.html

Polluted Beach Closures on the Decline (Associated Press)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090729/NEWS02/707299821/1025/rss1025

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

BPA Chart Shows Real Time Wind Generation - Recent heat wave has led to record demands…power coming from wind turbines has been next to zero at times (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/07/bpa_chart_shows_real_time_wind.html

BLM Seeks Public Input on Steens Mountain Wind Power Transmission Line (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/07/blm_seeks_public_input_on_stee.html

U.S. Wind Industry Installs 1,200 MW in Second Quarter (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=366971&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Wind Turbines 'Will Disrupt Sleep' - A doctor has called for a wind farm plan to be rejected because he believes it will give people living nearby sleepless nights (Leicester Mercury, UK)
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Turbines-disrupt-sleep/article-1209870-detail/article.html

United Kingdom - Energy Giant's Adverts Showed Wind Turbines Half Size Of Those Planned (The Scotsman, UK)
http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/latestnews/Energy-giant39s-adverts-showed-wind.5501784.jp

Who Will Survive The Solar Energy Shakeout? The recession is squeezing solar energy firms. These four could thrive (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/economyrebuild/2009/07/29/who-will-survive-the-solar-energy-shakeout/

Oregon Eases Ethanol Requirements (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/oregon-eases-ethanol-requirements/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

The Dark Secret of Light-Emitting Diodes (Azooptics)
http://azooptics.com/Details.asp?newsID=4627

Shedding a New, Electricity-Saving Light on Retail Outlets (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/07/29/29climatewire-shedding-a-new-electricity-saving-light-on-r-39713.html

Chelan PUD Nixes Weatherization Loans; To Give Cash Incentives (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090728/NEWS04/707289985/-1/NEWS90?PUD-nixes-weatherization-loans--to-give-cash-incentives

GE's Smart (and Subsidized) Appliances (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/gwmCarbonEmissions/idUS202789734420090727

White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost Cutters (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/science/earth/30degrees.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

U.S. Senate Climate Bill to Have Tough Market Controls (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE56S6OG20090729

Some Little States with Big Emissions Could See Allowance Windfall (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/07/30/30climatewire-some-little-states-with-big-emissions-could-45222.html

Natural-Gas Companies Challenge Coal Industry On Climate Change Bill (The Hill)
http://thehill.com/business--lobby/natural-gas-companies-challenge-coal-industry-on-climate-change-bill-2009-07-29.html

Farm Lobby Divided Over Climate Bill (Politico)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25525.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Consumer Alert: Is That Business Really Green? (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/848841.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CHEHALIS TO SELL WI-FI EQUIPMENT FOR $5,000 - The Chehalis City Council unanimously voted Monday to sell the city’s surplus wireless fidelity equipment to Lewis County IT Services. The city will recoup almost $5,000 in the sale of the equipment that was purchased for nearly $26,000. Councilors decided to scrap the project, which aimed to provide Wi-Fi connectivity to the downtown area after the company the equipment was purchased from, GoNetworks, filed for bankruptcy. City officials said Chehalis would have to spend almost $19,000 to have the equipment installed and $14,500 a year to maintain the network. (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Microsoft and Yahoo Are Linked Up. Now What? (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/technology/companies/30soft.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Does the Microsoft-Yahoo Deal Matter? Now that the deal is complete, the real fight to watch will be between Microsoft and Google (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/209294?from=rss

An Internet Landmark Heads to the Recycle Bin - Adieu, Yahoo (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/29/AR2009072903349.html?wprss=rss_technology

GENERAL NEWS

104 - Need We Say More? High temperature ties record from 1981; not quite so hot today (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/925064.html

Relief from Heat Still A Few Days Away - Temperature could reach 100 degrees (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/922993.html

Lit Cigarette Blamed for Brush Fire along I-5 near Federal Way (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/828184.html

Wash. Gov Opposing Revenue-Cap I-1033 (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10807345

Ben Settle Update - Judge Halts Release Of Wash. Referendum Signatures (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009564704_apwadomesticpartnerships3rdldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Utah Boy, 7, Steals Car to Avoid Church
http://www.kirotv.com/family/20207757/detail.html

Flea Bombs Ignite, Blow up Ventura Apartment
http://www.examiner.com/a-2142345~Flea_bombs_ignite__blow_up_Ventura_apartment.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Dog Found After 9-Year, 1,200-Mile Journey
http://www.kirotv.com/family/20221906/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Grease - Summer Nights Lego Stop Motion Animation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_whyjdt5Qso

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Energy News Digest for July 28, 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)

• Chelan PUD - Hydropower Boom May Not Be a Bust for Salmon
• Yakima River Fishery Goes On
• Canada - Fraser River Salmon Run Is Low for Summer
• Despite Warnings of Wild Salmon's Extinction B.C. Stocks Appear Abundant
• Sockeye Salmon Numbers Crash As Bust Replaces Anticipated Bounty on B.C. Coast
• California - Steelhead Trout's Comeback Will Be Upstream Battle
• New Rules Proposed for Vessel Traffic near Orcas
• Jefferson County PUD Could 'End the Water Wars' With Desalinization
• Pend Oreille - Federal Funds Paying For Metaline Water Plant
• If A Bear Poops In The Woods, Does Portland Have To Filter Its Water?
• Including Portland - Averting 22 Water-Electricity Crises in the United States
• Dead Zone in Gulf of Mexico Is Smaller Than Forecast
• Proposed Wind Project Could Imperil Murrelet
• Offshore Wind Could Be Next Wave for U.S.
• Australia - Turbine proposal sunk over skydiver safety fears
• Australia - Microwaves May Nuke Turbines
• Oregon Wave Energy Trusts Awards Contract
• United Kingdom - Threatened Wind Turbine Firm Offered Research Grant
• Op/Ed - Will America Lose The Clean-Energy Race?
• Plugging Into the Future - Electric smart-grid technology may transform how the country powers up
• Innovation Taps Low Geothermal Heat
• Australian Aluminum Council Urges Smelters to Lobby Renewable Energy Targets
• A Quest for Batteries to Alter the Energy Equation
• BPA & Ferry County PUD Use Lights Out for “Light Bulb Moment”
• Powerful Sides face off over Florida's Power-Saving Plan
• Florida Power & Light ‘Smart Meters’ Target of Patent Infringement Lawsuit
• Does The House Energy Bill Subject Owners Of Existing Homes To An Energy Efficiency Audit Before They Can Sell?
• Op/Ed - Global Warming Worriers Need To Go Nuclear
• Greenpeace: China Power Companies Hurting Climate
• Is Verizon FiOS Putting the Hurt on Cable?
• Verizon to cut 8,000 jobs nationwide
• Wi-Fi Like, Totally Messes With My Chakras
• Will Wednesday Be Seattle's Hottest Day Ever?
• Hot Weather Could Cause Fires across Northwest
• Heat & Air Stagnation Advisories in Effect
• Though Conflict Continues Over Old-Growth Forests, Cutting Rarely Occurs
• Quadrant Homes Ramps up New-Home Production

WORD OF THE DAY

Illustrative • \ill-LUST-ruh-tiv\ • Adjective – serving, tending, or designed to illustrate

Sam’s twirling dance was illustrative of the reason not to stuff wild ferrets into your knickers.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Heat Puts Stress on Power System (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=193415

Stay Cool, but Try To Use less Power (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5496-stay-cool-try-use-less-power/

Seattle City Light Radio Mess Costs Taxpayers Millions (KIRO-TV, Seatte)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20195610/detail.html

'Smart Grid' Raises Security Concerns “…Electric utilities vying for…federal "smart grid" grants will need to prove that they are taking steps to prevent cyberattacks…” (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/27/AR2009072702988.html?wprss=rss_technology

California - Fog-Shrouded Power Lines Caused Copter Crash (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/27/BADA18VM1P.DTL&feed=rss.news

FISH & WILDLIFE

Chelan PUD - Hydropower Boom May Not Be a Bust for Salmon (LA Times)
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2009/07/hydropower-boom-may-not-be-a-bust-for-salmon.html

Yakima River Fishery Goes On (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1358/story/658767.html

Canada - Fraser River Salmon Run Is Low for Summer (United Press International)
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/07/27/Fraser-River-salmon-run-is-low-for-summer/UPI-11491248748522/

Despite Warnings of Wild Salmon's Extinction B.C. Stocks Appear Abundant (Canadian Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5j_MGAFlg9yX08UsvXu-7tDU1LplQ

Sockeye Salmon Numbers Crash As Bust Replaces Anticipated Bounty on B.C. Coast (Vancouver Sun, UK)
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Sockeye+salmon+numbers+crash+bust+replaces+anticipated+bounty+coast/1832698/story.html

California - Steelhead Trout's Comeback Will Be Upstream Battle: Recovery could take decades, cost millions (Ed Note: Um, try billions…trust me. Ventura County Star)
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jul/27/steelhead-recovery-could-take-decades-cost/

New Rules Proposed for Vessel Traffic near Orcas (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009552831_apwaorcasvesselrules.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Jefferson County PUD Could 'End the Water Wars' With Desalinization (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090727/news/307279994

Pend Oreille - Federal Funds Paying For Metaline Water Plant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009552522_apwametalinewaterplant.html?syndication=rss

If A Bear Poops In The Woods, Does Portland Have To Filter Its Water? (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5488-if-bear-poops-woods-does-portland-have-filter-its-water/

Including Portland - Averting 22 Water-Electricity Crises in the United States (Scitizen)
http://scitizen.com/screens/blogPage/viewBlog/sw_viewBlog.php?idTheme=14&idContribution=2887

Dead Zone in Gulf of Mexico Is Smaller Than Forecast but More Concentrated in Parts (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/science/earth/28zone.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Proposed Wind Project Could Imperil Murrelet (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA – The BANANA Republic: Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything)
http://columbian.com/article/20090728/NEWS02/707289966/

Offshore Wind Could Be Next Wave for U.S. (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-BusinessofGreen/idUSTRE56Q5VO20090727

Australia - Turbine proposal sunk over skydiver safety fears
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25847068-29277,00.html

Australia - Microwaves May Nuke Turbines - Wind turbines could interfere with the communications system that runs Tasmania's power supply (The Mercury, Tasmania)
http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/07/27/86981_tasmania-news.html

Oregon Wave Energy Trusts Awards Contract (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/07/oregon-wave-energy-trusts-awards-contract?cmpid=rss

United Kingdom - Threatened Wind Turbine Firm Offered Research Grant (Birmingham Post, UK)
http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2009/07/28/threatened-wind-turbine-firm-offered-research-grant-65233-24252641/

SF Chronicle Op/Ed - Will America Lose The Clean-Energy Race?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/26/EDKH18UBUP.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

Plugging Into the Future - Electric smart-grid technology may transform how the country powers up. First, it has to overcome costs & competing interests (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/208701?from=rss

Innovation Taps Low Geothermal Heat (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/mnEnergy/idUS404302714320090727

Australian Aluminum Council Urges Smelters to Lobby Renewable Energy Targets (Steel Guru)
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/07/27/MTA0MDE2/Australian_Aluminium_Council_urges_smelters_to_lobby_renewable_energy_targets.html

A Quest for Batteries to Alter the Energy Equation (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/science/28batt.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

BPA & Ferry County PUD Use Lights Out For “Light Bulb Moment” - Residents invited to learn about electric power (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/294929/

Powerful Sides face off over Florida's Power-Saving Plan - Activists to push for more conservation by JEA & other utility companies (Florida Times Union, Jacksonville, FL)
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-07-27/story/powerful_sides_face_off_over_floridas_power_saving_plan

Florida Power & Light ‘Smart Meters’ Target of Patent Infringement Lawsuit (South Florida Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/07/27/daily15.html?ana=from_rss

Does The House Energy Bill Subject Owners Of Existing Homes To An Energy Efficiency Audit Before They Can Sell? (Fact Check.org)
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/does_the_house_energy_bill_subject_owners.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Denver Post Op/Ed - Global Warming Worriers Need To Go Nuclear
http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_12919321?source=commented-

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Greenpeace: China Power Companies Hurting Climate (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/28/international/i044403D62.DTL&feed=rss.business

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Is Verizon FiOS Putting the Hurt on Cable? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/07/27/is-verizon-fios-putting-the-hurt-on-cable/

Verizon to cut 8,000 jobs nationwide - In the Northwest region, company officials expect minimal employee layoffs (Everett herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090728/BIZ/707289955/-1/RSS03

Wi-Fi Like, Totally Messes With My Chakras - Wireless health hysteria continues, UK leads the weird way (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/WiFi-Like-Totally-Messes-With-My-Chakras-103628

GENERAL NEWS

Will Wednesday Be Seattle's Hottest Day Ever? (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/thebigblog/archives/174724.asp?source=pimail

Hot Weather Could Cause Fires across Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/5495-hot-weather-could-cause-fires-across-northwest/

Heat & Air Stagnation Advisories in Effect (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7884/reftab/1632/t/HEAT-AND-AIR-STAGNATION-ADVISORIES-IN-EFFECT/Default.aspx

Though Conflict Continues Over Old-Growth Forests, Cutting Rarely Occurs (The Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/07/though_conflict_continues_over.html

Quadrant Homes Ramps Up New-Home Production (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009548598_quadrant28.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Ewww - Rendering Truck Scatters Load On I-5 Near Tacoma
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009548614_apwarenderingtruck.html?syndication=rss

Wedding May Have Stranded Doves in Park - Homing Pigeons Should Be Used, Expert Says
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20200785/detail.html

Consultants Help Inmates Get Good Digs - White-Collar Cons Turn To Brokers
http://www.kirotv.com/news/20199374/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Creedence Clearwater Revival- Midnight Special
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DksGi7B5BdM