Energy News Digest for October 26, 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)

• Western States Stress Energy Cooperation
• Op/Ed - Finding the Right Path to Our Energy Future
• Could BPA’s High Voltage Line Project Boot People Out Of Their Homes?
• More People Seeking Help Paying Utility Bills
• Montana - Energy & Mining: Holding Steady
• Editorial - Energy Police Crackdown Is Possible
• Nuclear Energy Becomes Pivotal In Climate Debate
• A New Demand for Uranium Power Brings Concerns for Navajo Groups
• Japanese Firms to Develop Small Nuclear Reactors
• Hydro Plants on Ohio to Power Economy, Jobs
• Ohio - FirstEnergy Bulb Plan First Part of ‘Decoupling’
• Shutting Mexico City’s Power Company Is No Cure for Bad Service
• Tribes, States to Cooperate on Columbia River Salmon Recovery Plan
• Coho Returning To Columbia in Big Numbers
• Fixing Culverts - Judge Told Salmon Need Site-Specific Planning
• ‘Stimulus’ Narrows Corps’ Columbia River Funding Gap; $600,000 Added For Breaching Study Plan
• Columbia Riverkeeper Presses For Colder Columbia
• Op/Ed - Lessons for Snake River Dams in the Klamath Basin Agreement
• Fewer Smelt, More Sea Lions Blamed For Sturgeon Decline
• Salmon + Dogs = Salmon Hazard
• Editorial - Keep Fingers Crossed for Infant Orca
• Puget Sound Used As Classroom
• British Columbia Approves “Salish Sea” Proposal
• Flushable Products Causing Expensive Problems Downstream
• Silicon Energy of Arlington Crafts a Sleeker Kind of Solar Panel
• Costs for Wind Power Rise As Other Energy Drops
• Obama Presses Case for Renewable Energy
• Appalachian Conference Studies Energy Help
• South Dakota - Men Accused of Wind Power Conspiracy
• Op/Ed - Environmentalists Steering Federal Energy Policy End up Favoring the Giant Corporations
• AES Taps Into China’s Rush to Wind Power
• Are Biofuels Ready for Prime Time?
• Electronics Industry Fights California Proposal to Regulate TV Energy Use
• Power from Nothing: Northwest’s 20-year energy plan stresses conservation
• Editorial - We All Win When We Conserve Our Energy
• Green Building Council Faces Critical Forest Decision
• Right Lights for the Holidays
• Study: Warmed NW Forests May Yield Less Timber
• Senate Global Warming Bill Is Seeking to Cushion the Impact on Industry
• Iowa - Local Electric Providers: We’re For Cap, But Not Trade
• Seattle Expected To Be Key Market for Electric Cars
• Greenest Place in the U.S.? It’s Not Where You Think
• North Mason at the Head of the Class in Online Communications
• Internet Set for Change with Non-English Addresses
• Electronic Records, Boosted By Stimulus, Rush Hospitals into Unchartered Territory
• Blog Predecessor GeoCities Closes Down
• Data Center Efficiency - Firm Cuts High-Tech Energy Demands
• First Significant Snow in Washington Mountains
• Kitsap County “Amnesia Girl” Drained Bank Account before Vanishing
• Washington DOT Releases Powerful Simulation of Potential Quake
• Obama Declares Swine Flu a National Emergency
• Pilot Who Overshot Airport Denies Crew Was Napping
• Magma Pool under Cascades May Link Mt. Rainier, St. Helens
• Shelton Girls’ Soccer to Play in Narrows League Tournament
• U.S. Newspaper Circulation Falls 10%
• Washington State Wineries Getting Bigger As Production Grows
• Metal Thieves Strip Marysville Businesses

WORD OF THE DAY

Natant • \NAY-tunt\ • adjective - Swimming or floating in water

Happy birthday to the latest natent addition to the Orca L pod in Puget Sound.

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

Western States Stress Energy Cooperation (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010136136_apwyenergysymposium.html?syndication=rss

Oregonian Op/Ed - Finding the Right Path to Our Energy Future
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/10/finding_the_right_path_to_our.html

Could BPA’s High Voltage Line Project Boot People Out Of Their Homes? (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)
http://www.katu.com/news/local/65878772.html

More People Seeking Help Paying Utility Bills (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/411521_utilities26.html?source=rss

Montana - Energy & Mining: Holding Steady “…At Columbia Falls Aluminum…the situation could hardly be worse…” (Helena Independent, MT)
http://www.helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_2caa09a6-c0d8-11de-a928-001cc4c002e0.html

SF Chronicle Editorial - Energy Police Crackdown Is Possible
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/24/INO11A8BTS.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

Nuclear Energy Becomes Pivotal In Climate Debate (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jsukLqyQ2R1X4f60DpGHPBX545lgD9BI64TG0

A New Demand for Uranium Power Brings Concerns for Navajo Groups (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/24/AR2009102402023.html?wprss=rss_business

Japanese Firms to Develop Small Nuclear Reactors (Breitbart)
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.314f8f63df41800c448cd89e0a88dd31.331&show_article=1

Hydro Plants on Ohio to Power Economy, Jobs (Cincinnati Enquirer, OH)
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091026/BIZ01/910260303/Hydro+plants+on+Ohio+to+power+economy++jobs

Ohio - FirstEnergy Bulb Plan First Part of ‘Decoupling’: Seeking to comply with energy reform, utility eyes usage cut (Crain’s Business, Cleveland, OH)
http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20091026/SUB1/310269986/1003&Profile=1003

Shutting Mexico City’s Power Company Is No Cure for Bad Service (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/world/americas/26mexico.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tribes, States to Cooperate on Columbia River Salmon Recovery Plan (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/927856.html

Coho Returning To Columbia in Big Numbers (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_or_columbia_coho.html

Fixing Culverts - Judge Told Salmon Need Site-Specific Planning (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_salmon_culverts.html?source=pimail

‘Stimulus’ Narrows Corps’ Columbia River Funding Gap; $600,000 Added For Breaching Study Plan (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/362259.aspx

Columbia Riverkeeper Presses For Colder Columbia (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20091024/NEWS02/710249962/Group+presses+for+colder+Columbia

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Lessons for Snake River Dams in the Klamath Basin Agreement
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010126339_guest26wodder.html

Fewer Smelt, More Sea Lions Blamed For Sturgeon Decline (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/24/this_day/doc4ae0f18a2f571615125011.txt

Salmon + Dogs = Salmon Hazard (Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091026/NEWS0107/910260310/-1/RSSNEWSMAP

Olympian Editorial - Keep Fingers Crossed for Infant Orca
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1014626.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Puget Sound Used As Classroom - Nonprofit takes students for a ride they won’t forget (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1014579.html

British Columbia Approves “Salish Sea” Proposal (Crosscut Seattle)
http://crosscut.com/blog/crosscut/19142/

Flushable Products Causing Expensive Problems Downstream (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21406636/detail.html


RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Silicon Energy of Arlington Crafts a Sleeker Kind of Solar Panel (Everett Herald)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091025/BIZ/710219982/0/NEWS01

Costs for Wind Power Rise As Other Energy Drops (San Francisco Business Times)
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/10/26/story7.html?ana=from_rss

Obama Presses Case for Renewable Energy (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/us/politics/24obama.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Appalachian Conference Studies Energy Help - Appalachian leaders are seeking ways to use alternative energy initiatives to spark the 13-state region’s long-sluggish economy (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/25/financial/f101224D33.DTL&feed=rss.business

South Dakota - Men Accused of Wind Power Conspiracy: Lawsuit says group developed new venture while working for plaintiff (Argus Leader, Sioux Falls, SD)
http://www.argusleader.com/article/20091026/NEWS/910260328/1001/rss01

Star-Telegram Op/Ed - Environmentalists Steering Federal Energy Policy End up Favoring the Giant Corporations (Fort Worth, TX)
http://www.star-telegram.com/242/story/1708466.html

AES Taps Into China’s Rush to Wind Power (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/25/AR2009102502132.html

Are Biofuels Ready for Prime Time? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2009/oct/Are-Biofuels-Ready-for-Prime-Time.html

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Electronics Industry Fights California Proposal to Regulate TV Energy Use (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13623123

Power from Nothing: Northwest’s 20-year energy plan stresses conservation (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/25/top_story/doc4ae3a64bb9449039452097.txt

Daily News Editorial - We All Win When We Conserve Our Energy
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/25/editorial/doc4ae39f647bdbd029011886.txt

Green Building Council Faces Critical Forest Decision (Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce)
http://www.djc.com/news/ae/12011268.html

Right Lights for the Holidays (National Post, Canada)
http://www.nationalpost.com/homes/story.html?id=2139564

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Study: Warmed NW Forests May Yield Less Timber (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010135057_aporclimateforests.html?syndication=rss

Senate Global Warming Bill Is Seeking to Cushion the Impact on Industry (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/us/politics/25climate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Iowa - Local Electric Providers: We’re For Cap, But Not Trade (LeMars Sentinel, IA)
http://www.lemarssentinel.com/story/1581347.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Seattle Expected To Be Key Market for Electric Cars (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010131927_electriccars25m.html

Greenest Place in the U.S.? It’s Not Where You Think (Yale Environment 360)
http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2203

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

North Mason at the Head of the Class in Online Communications (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/26/north-mason-at-front-of-class-when-it-comes-to/?partner=RSS

Internet Set for Change with Non-English Addresses (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010137022_apastecinternetnames.html?syndication=rss

Electronic Records, Boosted By Stimulus, Rush Hospitals into Unchartered Territory (Boston Business Journal)
http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/10/26/story11.html?ana=from_rss

Blog Predecessor GeoCities Closes Down - Yahoo Bought Service For $3.5B In 1999 (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/technology/21426614/detail.html

Data Center Efficiency - Firm Cuts High-Tech Energy Demands (Arizona Republic, Phoenix)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2009/10/25/20091025biz-savingenergy1025.html

GENERAL NEWS

First Significant Snow in Washington Mountains (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010138746_apwawinterstorm.html?syndication=rss

Kitsap County “Amnesia Girl” Drained Bank Account before Vanishing (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102609WAB_amnesia-girl-bank-account-JM.254328e56.html?rss?npc

Washington DOT Releases Powerful Simulation of Potential Quake (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/65982637.html

Obama Declares Swine Flu a National Emergency (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13636328

Pilot Who Overshot Airport Denies Crew Was Napping (Associated Press)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=229777

Magma Pool under Cascades May Link Mt. Rainier, St. Helens (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010135468_volcano26m.html?syndication=rss

Shelton Girls’ Soccer to Play in Narrows League Tournament (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=475:shelton-girls-soccer-to-play-in-narrows-league-tournament&catid=38:sports&Itemid=56

U.S. Newspaper Circulation Falls 10% (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/business/media/27audit.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Washington State Wineries Getting Bigger As Production Grows (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010137197_apusfarmscenebigwineries.html?syndication=rss

Metal Thieves Strip Marysville Businesses (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/65951097.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Web Site Ranks Cities with Ugliest Men - Two Texas Cities Show Up On Unflattering List
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21402267/detail.html

Oops! Woman Flashes $27,000 at Bar, Gets Robbed - Woman Bragged About Insurance Claim Payment
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21397402/detail.html

Pot Money Paid For College Tuitions
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21395967/detail.html

Man Wakes up To Find Dog Went on XBOX Spending Spree (Note: Comment section may contain PG-13 language)
http://consumerist.com/5389939/man-wakes-up-to-find-dog-went-on-xbox-spending-spree

Man Stuffs Mouth with 16 Cockroaches in Record Bid
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/25/national/a055439D93.DTL&feed=rss.business

SONG OF THE DAY

Simon & Garfunkel - Hazy Shade of Winter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSd4QJBEMvk

The Bangles - Hazy Shade of Winter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFRx4PkXeVM&feature=related

Energy News Digest for October 23, 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)

• Castle Rock to Troutdale - Proposed I-5 corridor high-voltage line would meet growing demand for electricity
• Centralia’s Electricity Rates Likely to Increase in 2010
• R-I-P Raccoon - Wenatchee Power Outage Affects 2,800 Customers
• Columbia River - Voices of the Past: Revering the Flow
• Hood Canal Oxygen Levels Decline as Scientists Warn of another Fish Kill
• Foam from Ocean Algae Bloom Killing Thousands of Birds
• Big Cuts Loom for Sturgeon Fishing
• Time for Steelhead - Record Run Will Bring Excellent Fishing through January on Lower
• Orcas Move into Central Puget Sound
• Feds to Inspect Yakima Valley Dairies for Pollution
• Bumping Lake Central to Water Talks
• Along Oregon's Eastern Border, A Hellishly Beautiful Canyon
• Ceremony Dedicates Greenhouse Complex to Be Used for Elwha River Restoration
• Kittitas County - Council Ponders Desert Claim Wind Power Project
• Montana Wind Farm Doubles Power-Generating Capacity
• The Tennessee Valley Authority to Buy 450 Megawatts from Dakota Wind Turbines
• Google and Microsoft Eye Wind Farm Investments
• Ontario Freezes Great Lakes Energy Proposals
• West Virginia - Environmentalists Divided over Wind Project
• Wind Farm Would Turn Cumbrian Villagers into Sleep-Deprived Zombies
• Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels
• Study Says Advanced Biofuels Will Stoke Global Warming
• Vermont to Hold Lottery for Biomass Energy Developers
• UK Launches Fund To Explore Deep Geothermal Energy
• Report on Investigation of North Columbia Community Action Council’s Weatherization Program Expected Soon
• Alaska – Anchorage Energy Savings Drill Reduced Use by 2-4 %
• Ohio Utility Wants Customers to Pay to Conserve
• Questions Linger Over Energy Star Ratings
• Space-Based Solar Power Can Help On Energy Needs
• Calculating Emissions Is Problematic
• Nissan All-Electric Leaf to Visit Seattle
• The Dilemma of Hand Drying: Paper Towels or Air Dryers?
• How Green Is Your Pet?
• A PUD 3 Fiber Network User - North Mason School District Placed Third Nationally In Digital School Districts Rankings
• Grant PUD Fiber a Big Help - Big Bend Community College Receives Technology Grant
• Clearwire affirms Seattle launch, with Comcast and Sprint
• TDS Telecom Launches 50 Mbps Fiber
• Microsoft’s Profit Falls but Beats Forecasts
• Wait, What Happened To Windows 5 And 6?
• FCC to Draft Net Neutrality Rules, Taking Step toward Web Regulation
• Who Knew Senior Citizens Hated Net Neutrality?
• Weyerhaeuser Says Lumber Market Rebound Still More Than a Year Away
• Busted Fridge - Walla Walla Loses 1,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine
• WWU Research: Cell Phone Users Are Oblivious
• Bill for Glenn Beck Day stuns Mount Vernon

WORD OF THE DAY

Indeterminable • \indi-TERM-nuh-bull\ • adjective –1: incapable of being definitely decided or settled 2: incapable of being definitely fixed or ascertained

Bernard slumped in his chair like a poorly filled sack of wheat. He had come to the “Live to be Green” forum as part of his quest to live a more environmentally responsible life. What he found was a series of droning speakers that stretched to the indeterminable distance who talked about the benefits of permanently dying the skin green…just like the ‘Jolly Green Giant.’

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

Castle Rock to Troutdale - Proposed I-5 corridor high-voltage line would meet growing demand for electricity and help deliver energy – including wind power (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/361035/

Centralia’s Electricity Rates Likely to Increase in 2010 - 4 to 7 Percent Increase Suggested to Improve Outdated System (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/22/news//doc4ae09983ef390006826672.txt

R-I-P Raccoon - Wenatchee Power Outage Affects 2,800 Customers (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/oct/22/power-outage-affects-2800-customers/

Columbia River - Voices of the Past: Revering the Flow (Vancouver Voice, WA)
http://www.vanvoice.com/article/20238-voices+past+revering+flow

FISH & WILDLIFE

Hood Canal Oxygen Levels Decline as Scientists Warn of another Fish Kill (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/22/hood-canal-oxygen-levels-decline-as-scientists/?partner=RSS

Foam from Ocean Algae Bloom Killing Thousands of Birds (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/foam_from_ocean_algae_bloom_ki.html

Big Cuts Loom for Sturgeon Fishing - Sport, commercials both expected to have harvests slashed as lower Columbia River population declines (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/article/20091022/SPORTS04/710229943/-1/SPORTS

Time for Steelhead - Record Run Will Bring Excellent Fishing through January on Lower Deschutes (Bend Bulletin, OR)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091022/SPORTS05/910220372/-1/RSSNEWSMAP#

Orcas Move into Central Puget Sound (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/22/orcas-move-into-central-puget-sound/?partner=RSS

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Feds to Inspect Yakima Valley Dairies for Pollution (Associated Press)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_yakima_groundwater.html?source=pimail

Bumping Lake Central to Water Talks - Group representing all water interests sees potential with possible reservoir expansion (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/22/bumping-lake-central-to-water-talks

Along Oregon's Eastern Border, A Hellishly Beautiful Canyon - The rugged gorge carved by the Snake River is a haven for wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts who don't mind solitude (Mail Tribune, Medford, OR)
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091022/LIFE/910220303

Ceremony Dedicates Greenhouse Complex to Be Used for Elwha River Restoration (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091023/news/310239985

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Kittitas County - Behind Closed Doors: Council Ponders Desert Claim Wind Power Project (Daily Record, Ellensburg, WA)
http://www.kvnews.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4ae0996c3482e210057310.txt

Montana Wind Farm Doubles Power-Generating Capacity (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2281995~Mont__wind_farm_doubles_power_generating_capacity.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

The Tennessee Valley Authority to Buy 450 Megawatts from Dakota Wind Turbines (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010118662_apustvarenewableenergy.html?syndication=rss

Google and Microsoft Eye Wind Farm Investments (Financial Times of London, UK)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8ebb43e6-bf37-11de-a696-00144feab49a.html?nclick_check=1

Ontario Freezes Great Lakes Energy Proposals - Flood of applications prompts provincial review `to ensure proper processes in place' (Toronto Star, Ontario)
http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/714699

West Virginia - Environmentalists Divided over Wind Project (Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/10/23/environmentalists_divided_over_wind_project/

United Kingdom - Wind Farm Would Turn Cumbrian Villagers into Sleep-Deprived Zombies (The Cumberland News, UK)
http://www.cumberland-news.co.uk/news/windfarm_would_turn_cumbrian_villagers_into_sleep_deprived_zombies_1_627453

Tallying the Real Environmental Cost of Biofuels “...A pair of new studies in…Science damningly demonstrates that the answer is no…” (Time Magazine)
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1931780,00.html

Study Says Advanced Biofuels Will Stoke Global Warming (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN2225048

Vermont to Hold Lottery for Biomass Energy Developers (Associated Press)
http://www.reflector.com/business/vt-board-to-hold-lottery-for-energy-developers-913446.html

UK Launches Fund To Explore Deep Geothermal Energy – Just don’t break the planet, you kids (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=370303&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Report on Investigation of North Columbia Community Action Council’s Weatherization Program Expected Soon (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4adf802db28b8556264973.txt

Alaska – Anchorage Energy Savings Drill Reduced Use By 2-4 % (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/926335.html

Ohio Utility Wants Customers to Pay to Conserve (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114048368&ft=1&f=2

Questions Linger Over Energy Star Ratings (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114051506&ft=1&f=2

Space-Based Solar Power Can Help On Energy Needs (Houston Chronicle)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6681871.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Calculating Emissions Is Problematic (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/science/earth/23biofuel.html?em

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Nissan All-Electric Leaf to Visit Seattle (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=228979

The Dilemma of Hand Drying: Paper Towels or Air Dryers? (Greenandsave.com)
http://www.greenandsave.com/green_news/green-lifestyle/dilemma-hand-drying-5250

How Green Is Your Pet? (New Scientist)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427311.600-how-green-is-your-pet.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

A PUD 3 Fiber Network User - North Mason School District Placed Third Nationally In Digital School Districts Rankings (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=448:the-north-mason-school-district-placed-third-in-the-nation-in-the-digital-school-districts-rankings&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Grant PUD Fiber a Big Help - Big Bend Community College Receives Technology Grant (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/10/22/news/doc4ae0cf3241bf1840884237.txt

Qwest to End Cell Phone Service on Oct. 31 (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010119662_apusqwestcellphones.html?syndication=rss

Clearwire affirms Seattle launch, with Comcast and Sprint (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2010119635_clearwire_affirms_seattle_laun.html?syndication=rss

TDS Telecom Launches 50 Mbps Fiber - After it failed to stop Minnesota muni-fiber build (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/TDS-Telecom-Launches-50-Mbps-Fiber-105111

Microsoft’s Profit Falls but Beats Forecasts (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/24/business/24soft.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Wait, What Happened To Windows 5 And 6? (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13619300

FCC to Draft Net Neutrality Rules, Taking Step toward Web Regulation - Writing of regulations expected to be long, contentious process (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/22/AR2009102204462.html?wprss=rss_technology

Who Knew Senior Citizens Hated Net Neutrality? 'XYZ Organization' magically shares AT&T's lobbying positions (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Who-Knew-Senior-Citizens-Hated-Net-Neutrality-105109

GENERAL NEWS

Weyerhaeuser Says Lumber Market Rebound Still More Than a Year Away (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/23//area_news/doc4ae15009e61dc758492965.txt

Busted Fridge - Walla Walla Loses 1,000 Doses of Flu Vaccine (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=11367408

WWU Research: Cell Phone Users Are Oblivious (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/65718982.html

Bill for Glenn Beck Day stuns Mount Vernon (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010120920_costofglenn23m.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Soupy Sales, Comedian, Dies at 83
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/arts/television/23sales.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Funeral Home Offers Electronic Billboard Obits
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21392805/detail.html

Seattle Diners Worst Tippers in the United States (JUST 18 percent?)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily39.html?ana=from_rss

Brewer, Monster-Maker Settle 'Vermonster' Dispute
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010118328_apusmonsterdrinkfight.html?syndication=rss

Pearl Jam, Others Protest Music Used In Torture
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102209WAB-CNN-pearl-jam-bands-guantanamo-JM.24102e149.html?rss?npc

SONG OF THE DAY

Journey - Wheel in the Sky (I’m waiting to see some wit use this in a windmill story in place of “Blowin’ in the Wind”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGbVoDVWZsc&feature=related

Energy News Digest for October 22, 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)

• Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down “Indefinitely” Oct 31
• Columbia Falls Aluminum runs out of power options
• Energy Sources - Washington Target of “Dirty Little Secret” Tour
• Op/Ed - Clean-Energy Transition Promises Brighter Economic Prospects
• Fallen Tree Limb to Blame - Lake Cushman Electricity Restored
• What’s Behind Co-Op Rate Increases? Southern Montana, Yellowstone Valley offer different takes
• PG&E to Bakersfield: Weather, Not Smart Meters, Cause of Higher Power Bills
• PNGC Power Board of Directors Elects Officers
• Natural Gas Stocks Grow In Line With Expectations
• Vermont Senate Chief Questions Entergy Spinoff of Yankee Nuke Plant
• TransAlta Corporation to Release Q3 2009 Earnings October 27
• More Views on Salmon Adapting To Rivers Altered By Dams
• Fishing - Rain Means Rivers Produce Solid Catch
• Officials Say Pikeminnow Program Helping Salmon
• Three People Charged With Illegally Dealing Geoducks
• Seasonal Ladybug Swarms Pester Even Bug Experts
• Green River Flooding (if it happens) could Leave 800,000 without Sewage for Months
• New Limits on Industrial Stormwater in Washington
• Marine Reserve Plans Contested in California
• Thanks to Tax Breaks & Subsidies Solar Is Getting Cheap - Costs State by State
• Thinking Solar Power? It’s Never Been Cheaper
• Cle Elum Solar Energy Project to be Discussed Tonight
• Oregon - New Tualatin Plant Will Make Wind Turbines
• Kentucky Energy Regulators Reject Wind Surcharge
• Renewable Energy Firms Dash for Vermont Incentives
• South Dakota Dangles Wind Power Carrots
• Northwest States Energy Efficient but Others Are Catching Up
• Grays Harbor - Sea Level Rise Expert Says Our Coast Is In Store for Dramatic Changes
• Fewer Americans See Solid Evidence of Global Warming
• Editorial - Cap & Trade Could Be a Boon to New York
• International Climate Treaty Looks Unlikely
• Canada - Costly Push for Carbon Neutrality Comes At Time of Penny Pinching for Schools
• Rising Energy Costs Triggered By Cap-&-Trade Will Harm Low-Income Workers
• Company Plans to Call Lacey Home for ‘Green’ Cleaning Products Plant
• Plastic Bags Limited in San Francisco - Next Target Is Paper
• Microsoft Hopes for Fresh Start with Windows 7
• As Windows 7 Rolls Out: Four Things to Expect
• Microsoft Befriends Twitter in Google Search Duel
• Expedia to Close Tacoma Call Center
• Telecom Firms Face Net-Neutrality Defeat
• Carriers Eye Pay-As-You-Go Internet
• Canada Allows Internet “Throttling” As Last Resort
• Why the Great Internet Build Out Is Spurring Mergers & Acquisitions
• Comcast Internet Video Launching Before Year End, with a Catch
• Wal-Mart Takes Flak for Limited, Unlimited Wireless
• Swine Flu Blamed For Thurston County Man’s Death
• North Mason Teen Charged With Assault in Incident That Sent Man to Hospital
• U.S. Supreme Court: Ref. 71 Names to Remain Sealed for Now
• Washington School Funding Trial Nearing End
• Move to Cut Bremerton Mayor’s Salary is Rejected
• Lewis County - Elk Killed In Collision with Boisfort School Bus

WORD OF THE DAY

Strake • \STRAYK\ • noun – 1: a continuous band of hull planking or plates on a ship; also: the width of such a band 2: streak, stripe

Amber arose from her daily session of sunbathing on her Mexican vacation. She had found a pleasant spot to soak up the sun near a running fence at the resort. Unfortunately, the slatted fence endowed her lithe form with a straked appearance, which was not apparent until her return to Toronto. The tanned “zebra” effect was not a good look for her.

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

Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down “Indefinitely” Oct 31 “…(officials) in Washington DC…meeting with the Department of Energy as well as Montana Congressional Delegation…all working towards helping the company…” (KAJ-TV, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11354305

Columbia Falls Aluminum runs out of power options (Daily Interlake, Kalispell)
http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/local_montana/article_125eac66-bec9-11de-8ed2-001cc4c03286.html

Energy Sources - Washington Target of “Dirty Little Secret” Tour (KBKW Radio, Aberdeen, WA)
http://kbkw.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=1048#

See a Breakdown of Fuel Mixes Here (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=537

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Clean-Energy Transition Promises Brighter Economic Prospects “…Renewable power isn’t “alternative energy” in the Northwest; hydropower & efficiency are exactly what make our power supplies so affordable now…”
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010110988_guest22daudon.html?syndication=rss

Fallen Tree Limb to Blame - Lake Cushman Electricity Restored (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=608

What’s Behind Co-Op Rate Increases? Southern Montana, Yellowstone Valley offer different takes (Billings Gazette, MT)
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/montana/article_a80fe9cc-be98-11de-811a-001cc4c03286.html

PG&E to Bakersfield: Weather, Not Smart Meters, Cause of Higher Power Bills (Seeking Alpha)
http://seekingalpha.com/article/167958-pg-e-to-bakersfield-weather-not-smart-meters-cause-of-higher-power-bills?source=yahoo

PNGC Power Board of Directors Elects Officers (PNGC Power)
http://www.pngcpower.com/newsroom/news_releases.aspx?ID=56

Natural Gas Stocks Grow In Line With Expectations (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010117543_apusnaturalgasstorage.html?syndication=rss

Vermont Senate Chief Questions Entergy Spinoff of Yankee Nuke Plant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010117204_apusentergyspinoff.html?syndication=rss

TransAlta Corporation to Release Q3 2009 Earnings October 27 (TransWorldNews)
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=131968&cat=1

FISH & WILDLIFE

More Views on Salmon Adapting To Rivers Altered By Dams (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/more_views_on_salmon_adapting.html

Fishing - Rain Means Rivers Produce Solid Catch (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2010112774_fish22.html?syndication=rss

Officials Say Pikeminnow Program Helping Salmon (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010116982_apidpikeminnowprogram.html?syndication=rss

Three People Charged With Illegally Dealing Geoducks (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/925047.html

Seasonal Ladybug Swarms Pester Even Bug Experts (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010108934_apusbuggedbyladybugs.html?syndication=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Green River Flooding (if it happens) could Leave 800,000 without Sewage for Months (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21391613/detail.html

New Limits on Industrial Stormwater in Washington (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1009974.html

Marine Reserve Plans Contested in California (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2281466~Marine_reserve_plans_contested_in_California.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Thanks to Tax Breaks & Subsidies Solar Is Getting Cheap - Costs State by State (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010108663_apusbargainsolarglance.html?syndication=rss

Thinking Solar Power? It’s Never Been Cheaper (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010108620_apusbargainsolar.html?syndication=rss

Cle Elum Solar Energy Project to be Discussed Tonight (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/21/solar-energy-project-to-be-discussed-tonight

Oregon - New Tualatin Plant Will Make Wind Turbines (Portland Tribune, OR)
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=125617524013180400

Kentucky Energy Regulators Reject Wind Surcharge (The Gleaner, Henderson, KY)
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/oct/21/psc-rejects-wind-surcharge/

Renewable Energy Firms Dash for Vermont Incentives - A new renewable energy program has more applications than it can handle (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010107305_apusrenewableenergyvermont.html?syndication=rss

South Dakota Dangles Wind Power Carrots (Aberdeen News, SD)
http://www.aberdeennews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091020/FRONTPAGE/910200315

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Northwest States Energy Efficient but Others Are Catching Up (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/6063-northwest-states-energy-efficient-others-are-catching/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Grays Harbor - Sea Level Rise Expert Says Our Coast Is In Store for Dramatic Changes (Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/10/21/local_news/doc4adf49ec3bde3458867742.txt

Fewer Americans See Solid Evidence of Global Warming - Modest Support for “Cap & Trade” Policy (Pew Research Center)
http://people-press.org/report/556/global-warming

Wall Street Journal Editorial - Cap & Trade Could Be a Boon to New York
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748704500604574481812686144826.html

International Climate Treaty Looks Unlikely (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010102982_climate21.html

Canada - Costly Push for Carbon Neutrality Comes At Time of Penny Pinching for Schools (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Costly+push+carbon+neutrality+comes+time+penny+pinching+schools/2125692/story.html

Rising Energy Costs Triggered By Cap-&-Trade Will Harm Low-Income Workers In Inner Cities (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/sns-200910220803mctnewsservbc-capandtrade-minoriti,0,7394488.story

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Company Plans to Call Lacey Home for ‘Green’ Cleaning Products Plant (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1010695.html

Plastic Bags Limited in San Francisco - Next Target Is Paper (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/21/MNUT1A8DSG.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Microsoft Hopes for Fresh Start with Windows 7 (Associated Press)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091022/BIZ/710229938/-1/RSS03

As Windows 7 Rolls Out, 4 Things to Expect (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/21/as-windows-7-rolls-out-4-things-to-expect/

Microsoft Befriends Twitter in Google Search Duel (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010112948_apustecmicrosofttwitter2ndldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Expedia to Close Tacoma Call Center (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/925039.html

Telecom Firms Face Net-Neutrality Defeat - Lobbying Blitz May Fall Short (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/21/AR2009102103944.html?wprss=rss_technology

Carriers Eye Pay-As-You-Go Internet - Amid Government Push to Open Networks, Some See Cover for Pricing Based on Usage (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703816204574483674228258540.html

Canada Allows Internet “Throttling” As Last Resort (Yahoo! Tech)
http://tech.yahoo.com/news/nm/20091021/wr_nm/us_internet_traffic_3

Why the Great Internet Build Out Is Spurring Mergers & Acquisitions (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/10/22/why-the-great-internet-build-out-prompting-ma/

Comcast Internet Video Launching Before Year End - Though there are restrictions; like you must be using a Comcast modem (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Internet-Video-Launching-Before-Year-End-105092

Wal-Mart Takes Flak for Limited, Unlimited Wireless (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Walmart-Takes-Flak-For-Limited-Unlimited-Wireless-105078

GENERAL NEWS

Swine Flu Blamed For Thurston County Man’s Death
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21363220/detail.html

North Mason Teen Charged With Assault in Incident That Sent Man to Hospital (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/oct/21/north-mason-teen-charged-with-assault-in-that-to/?partner=RSS

U.S. Supreme Court: Ref. 71 Names to Remain Sealed for Now (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010101080_webref71court21m.html

Washington School Funding Trial Nearing End (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010108460_apwaschoolmoney.html?syndication=rss

Move to Cut Bremerton Mayor’s Salary is Rejected (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1010568.html

Lewis County - Elk Killed In Collision With Boisfort School Bus (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21392661/detail.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Clerk Accused of Stealing $1M Lottery Ticket from Customer
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21362061/detail.html

Man Staged Nearly 100 Car Crashes in Cash Scam
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE59K3SX20091021?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

Planned Dog B&B Has Neighbors Howling - Residents Say There Would Be Too Much Noise
http://www.kirotv.com/family/21363134/detail.html

Man Robs Shop on Way to Interrogation: German Police
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20091020/od_nm/us_germany_thief

SONG OF THE DAY

Pink Floyd - Shine on You Crazy Diamond
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLKiMbC6s2k

Energy News Digest for October 21, 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)

• Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down by End of the Month
• Study’s Conclusion: Hydro Boom Means Jobs for West
• A City of 'Experts' Ponders a New Energy-Saving System
• Pikeminnow: Salmon Predator Catch Down, But Officials See Success
• Coho Bag Limit Will Increase By One Fish in Columbia River
• Coho Run Remains Strong With Season Winding Down
• Chronicle Editorial - Baird Opens Door for Water Retention Proposal
• State Clarifies Muddy Rain Collecting Law
• Shades of Nisqually - State's Habitat Project near Stanwood Raises Farmers’ Ire
• We’re Number Two! Rural Oregon Ranks High In Wind Energy
• Wind Industry Uses Federal Grants To Add Capacity
• Raft River Resurgence
• Arlington Firm Leads Way in Solar Panels
• United Kingdom - Inquiry Re-Opens On Wind Turbines
• Washington Ranked 7th among States for Energy Efficiency Policies
• Olympian Editorial - Wise Energy Use Creates Unique Partnerships
• BP Chief Sees Decades of Fossil Fuel Use
• DSL Provider CenturyTel Gets New Name
• FCC Set To Take on Aggressive Role as Internet Traffic Cop
• Seattle Times Op/Ed - Net Neutrality
• Google goes global with Apps
• Yahoo’s Profit Triples Despite Sales Decline
• Internet Advertising Appears To Begin Its Comeback
• Boeing Posts $1.6B Loss in 3Q on Plane Charges
• Port of Shelton Beginning to Look at Running Fairgrounds
• For $15 Scrap Metal Value, Thieves Do $2,000 Damage
• Couple Sentenced for Dropping Rocks on Interstate

WORD OF THE DAY

Defunct • \DEE-funkt\ • noun – No longer living, existing, or functioning

Here’s a do it yourself word of the day example sentence. Make up your own, maybe even use it in a haiku. It’s easy and fun!

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

Columbia Falls Aluminum to Shut Down by End of the Month (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell, MT)
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/cfac_to_shut_down_by_end_of_the_month/13705/

Study’s Conclusion: Hydro Boom Means Jobs for West (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/oct/20/studys-conclusion-hydro-boom-means-jobs-for-west/

A City of 'Experts' Ponders a New Energy-Saving System (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/10/21/21climatewire-a-city-of-experts-ponders-a-new-energy-savin-78056.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Pikeminnow: Salmon Predator Catch Down, But Officials See Success (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/760908.html

Coho Bag Limit Will Increase By One Fish in Columbia River (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/sports/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf/2009/10/coho_bag_limit_will_increase_b.html

Coho Run Remains Strong With Season Winding Down (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/outdoors/story/923607.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Chronicle Editorial - Baird Opens Door for Water Retention Proposal (Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/articles/2009/10/20/opinion/our_views/doc4addf442e10a3864836741.txt

State Clarifies Muddy Rain Collecting Law (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_102109WAB-rain-collecting-law-LJ.23ac3c091.html?rss

Shades of Nisqually - State's Habitat Project near Stanwood Raises Farmers’ Ire (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091021/NEWS01/710219689/-1/RSS02

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

We’re Number Two! Rural Oregon Ranks High In Wind Energy (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/6060-were-number-2-rural-oregon-ranks-high-wind-energy/

Wind Industry Uses Federal Grants To Add Capacity (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/20/financial/f131238D51.DTL&feed=rss.business

Raft River Resurgence - U.S. Geothermal builds Idaho's first commercial geothermal power plant (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/10/raft-river-resurgence

Arlington Firm Leads Way in Solar Panels (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091021/BIZ/710219982/1005

United Kingdom - Inquiry Re-Opens On Wind Turbines Four Years After They Were First Proposed (BBC)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/8317739.stm

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington Ranked 7th among States for Energy Efficiency Policies (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/energy/archives/182702.asp?source=rss

Olympian Editorial - Wise Energy Use Creates Unique Partnerships
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1009398.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

BP Chief Sees Decades of Fossil Fuel Use (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/bp-chief-sees-decades-of-fossil-fuel-use/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

DSL Provider CenturyTel Gets New Name (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/oct/21/in-brief-dsl-provider-gets-new-name/

FCC Set To Take on Aggressive Role as Internet Traffic Cop (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13603357?nclick_check=1

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Net Neutrality: Don't Subject the Internet to Politicians and Bureaucracies
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2010102051_guest21gipson.html?syndication=rss

Google goes global with Apps (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE59I09A20091019?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Yahoo’s Profit Triples Despite Sales Decline (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/technology/companies/21yahoo.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Internet Advertising Appears To Begin Its Comeback (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/20/financial/f130354D90.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Boeing Posts $1.6B Loss in 3Q on Plane Charges (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/923795.html

Port of Shelton Beginning to Look at Running Fairgrounds (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=426:port-beginning-to-look-at-running-fairgrounds&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

For $15 Scrap Metal Value, Thieves Do $2,000 Damage - Concern grows over fire system thefts from Tulalip and Marysville buildings (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091021/NEWS01/710219729/-1/RSS02

Couple Sentenced for Dropping Rocks on Interstate (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010101691_apusinterstaterocks1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Do We Need A Doggy Tax Break?
http://blogs.moneycentral.msn.com/topstocks/archive/2009/10/19/do-we-need-a-doggy-tax-break.aspx

Wisconsin Bill Would Waive License for Home Canners (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/20/financial/f134801D70.DTL&feed=rss.business

Vic Mizzy, Songwriter of ‘Addams Family’ Fame, Dies at 93
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/arts/television/21mizzy.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

SONG OF THE DAY

The Addams Family Theme Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRX_5tGOlo&feature=related

Green Acres Theme Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbk81X6WHA4

Energy News Digest for October 20, 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’s Reservoir of Cash Pays Off
• Rehab Contract Awarded for Grand Coulee Project
• Small Firm Names another Site for Idaho Nuke Plant
• Electrical Accident May Have Caused Hot Tub Deaths
• Seattle Public Utilities Tax Rates, Costs High, Audit Finds
• Are You Ready for Winter? If Not, Here Are Some Tips to Get There
• Water Usage, Treatment Brings Increased Power Consumption
• Belgium Delays Nuclear Phase Out until 2025
• Nuclear Power Revival for GE Leaves Waste Unsolved
• Livermore Lab Works On Alaska Coal Power Project – Underground Coal Gasification
• Pennsylvania Businesses May Save Up to 10 Percent or More on Electricity Costs in Newly Competitive Market
• Don’t Miss the Return of Big Mining
• More Money Might Not Speed Salmon Culvert Fixes
• Op/Ed - Fish: The Issue of Chutes & Ladders Can’t Be Ignored
• Editorial - Puget Sound Recovery Going Well On the Nisqually
• Walla Walla Partnership Launches Project to Redraw Water-Use Rules
• Cle Elum Information Meeting on Solar Project Is Thursday
• Bellingham Mayor Proposes New Office, More Green Power in City Budget
• Environmental Concerns Delay Solar Projects in California Desert
• US Department Of Ecology Buys Geothermal Plant in Wyoming
• Giant Wind Turbine, Centerpiece of Research Venture, Switched On Near Boulder
• Michigan - Wind Turbine Concerns Lead to Road Closure, House Evacuations
• Vermont Willow Harvest Promises Cheap Biomass Fuel
• Cowlitz County Contest: How Much Electricity Can You Conserve?
• Vetting the Fridge: Is Your Appliance Lying to You?
• Largest ‘Smart Grid’ Test Hopes to Shock Consumers about Energy Use
• Hoax Pulled on U.S. Chamber over Its Position on Climate Change
• Punked: Chamber of Commerce Says It Was Victim of Climate-Policy Hoax
• Chamber Of Commerce in Climate Change Hoax
• Fake Reporters Part of Climate Pranksters’ ‘Theater’
• Global Warming Could Boost Northwest’s Forest Growth
• Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions, Study Says
• Oregon’s Fly-Fishing Governor Aims to Hook Green Jobs
• Another Global-Warming Tort Case Moves Forward
• Study Says Electric Cars Don’t Deserve Halo Yet
• Portland’s Street Grid: Bad for the Environment?
• How Green Is Tofu? You’d Be Surprised to Know
• Op/Ed - Last-Mile Demand Should Be First Concern for Broadband
• Top Tech Firms Back Net-Neutrality Rules
• The Robots Are Coming! Oh, They’re Here
• Hand Sanitizer Helps Spread Fire at Shelton-Area School
• Shelton City Commission Asked to Reconsider Cutting Police Officer
• Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Blocks Release of R-71 Names
• Landslide Repairs Will Delay Washington Highway Projects
• Income Levels Rise In Washington, 35 Other States
• Study Says Washington State Has Nation’s Third-Highest Tax Rate
• Shelton Clears State Audit
• Bremerton Mayor’s Salary May Drop 20 Percent
• Oh, Rats! Rodents on the Rise
• Online Commenting: What Works & What Doesn’t?

WORD OF THE DAY

Asgard • \AZ-gard \ • noun – The home of the Norse gods

Thor and Odin were enjoying their Wednesday night bowling league in Asgard. Enjoying, that is, until Loki came rushing in and laid waste to the scorekeepers.

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

BPA’s Reservoir of Cash Pays Off - Federal utility meets debt obligations despite poor economy, low water (Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20091020/BIZ01/710209974/-1/BIZ

Rehab Contract Awarded for Grand Coulee Project - Six Transformers to be Replaced Under $26 Million Contract (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/10/rehab-contract-awarded-for-grand-coulee-project?cmpid=rss

Small Firm Names another Site for Idaho Nuke Plant (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010100435_apusnukeplantnewsiteidaho.html?syndication=rss

Electrical Accident May Have Caused Hot Tub Deaths (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21348275/detail.html

Seattle Public Utilities Tax Rates, Costs High, Audit Finds (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010094633_audit17m.html?syndication=rss

Are You Ready for Winter? If Not, Here Are Some Tips to Get There (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/64849282.html

Water Usage, Treatment Brings Increased Power Consumption - Power mostly generated with fossil fuels, contributing to global warming (Las Vegas Sun, NV)
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct/20/using-water-using-power/

Belgium Delays Nuclear Phase Out until 2025 “…a report…concluded that the energy gap resulting from a nuclear phase-out could not yet be filled with renewables…” (Power Engineering)
http://pepei.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=6&ARTICLE_ID=370199&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Nuclear Power Revival for GE Leaves Waste Unsolved (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aQZtg3hJdMYA

Livermore Lab Works On Alaska Coal Power Project – Underground Coal Gasification (San Francisco Business Times)
http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/10/19/daily6.html?ana=from_rss

Pennsylvania Businesses May Save Up to 10 Percent or More on Electricity Costs in Newly Competitive Market (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=120791

Don’t Miss the Return of Big Mining “…Rio’s aluminum group continues to struggle, with its production down 4% from a year ago. But that hasn’t stopped U.S. aluminum producers Alcoa and Kaiser Aluminum from watching their share prices more than double since March…” (Motley Fool)
http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2009/10/20/dont-miss-the-return-of-big-mining.aspx

FISH & WILDLIFE

More Money Might Not Speed Salmon Culvert Fixes (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/1007897.html

Eugene Register-Guard Op/Ed - Fish: The Issue of Chutes & Ladders Can’t Be Ignored
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/20966841-41/story.csp

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Olympian Editorial - Puget Sound Recovery Going Well On the Nisqually
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/1008272.html

Walla Walla Partnership Launches Project to Redraw Water-Use Rules (Walla Walla Union Bulletin, WA)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/10/19/local_news/091019local03h20.txt

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Cle Elum Information Meeting on Solar Project Is Thursday (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/20/cle-elum-information-meeting-on-solar-project-is-thursday

Bellingham Mayor Proposes New Office, More Green Power in City Budget (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/1120915.html

Environmental Concerns Delay Solar Projects in California Desert (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar19-2009oct19,0,2124650.story

US Department Of Ecology Buys Geothermal Plant in Wyoming (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/10/19/financial/f140526D61.DTL&feed=rss.business

Giant Wind Turbine, Centerpiece of Research Venture, Switched On Near Boulder (Denver Business Journal)
http://denver.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/10/19/daily20.html?ana=from_rss

Michigan - Wind Turbine Concerns Lead to Road Closure, House Evacuations (Cadillac News, MI)
http://www.cadillacnews.com/story_news/?story_id=1175360&year=2009

Vermont Willow Harvest Promises Cheap Biomass Fuel (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010089561_apuswillowpower.html?syndication=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Cowlitz County Contest: How Much Electricity Can You Conserve? (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/20/area_news/doc4add50800416c242168848.txt

Vetting the Fridge: Is Your Appliance Lying to You? (Wall Street Journal)
http://www.smartmoney.com/Spending/Deals/Vetting-the-Fridge-Is-Your-Appliance-Lying-to-You/

Largest ‘Smart Grid’ Test Hopes to Shock Consumers about Energy Use (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/10/20/20climatewire-largest-smart-grid-test-hopes-to-shock-consu-92426.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Hoax Pulled on U.S. Chamber over Its Position on Climate Change (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a3IaPOkIataY

Punked: Chamber of Commerce Says It Was Victim of Climate-Policy Hoax (Wall Street Journal)
http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2009/10/19/punked-chamber-of-commerce-says-it-was-victim-of-climate-policy-hoax/

Chamber Of Commerce in Climate Change Hoax (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113943699&ft=1&f=2

Fake Reporters Part of Climate Pranksters’ ‘Theater’ (NY Times – story says faux reporters diminished “real” reporters’ credibility. No, what diminishes “real” reporters credibility is that they fell for this act hook, line and sinker)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/10/20/20greenwire-fake-reporters-part-of-climate-pranksters-thea-39576.html

Global Warming Could Boost Northwest’s Forest Growth -- Except In Most-Logged Areas
(Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/global_warming_could_boost_nor.html

Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions, Study Says (NY Times - Ed. Note: I HATE headlines like this. It SHOULD read “Study Says Fossil Fuels’ Hidden Cost Is in Billions”)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/science/earth/20fossil.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Oregon’s Fly-Fishing Governor Aims to Hook Green Jobs (Nat’l Public Radio - Fishes for steelhead, catches a Chinook Salmon)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113841255

Another Global-Warming Tort Case Moves Forward - Mississippi property owners can sue oil, coal & chemical companies whose pollution allegedly elevated sea levels & “added to the ferocity” of Hurricane Katrina (Courthouse News)
http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/10/19/Another_Global-Warming_Tort_Case_Moves_Forward.htm

Study Says Electric Cars Don’t Deserve Halo Yet (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-GreenBusiness/idUSTRE59I5QH20091019

Portland’s Street Grid: Bad for the Environment? (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/10/portlands_street_grid_bad_for.html

How Green Is Tofu? You’d Be Surprised to Know “…(processing) steps require energy—and they dramatically increase tofu’s carbon footprint…” (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2232916/?from=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Kansas City Star Op/Ed - Last-Mile Demand Should Be First Concern for Broadband
http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1517715.html

Top Tech Firms Back Net-Neutrality Rules - Letter comes as FCC prepares to vote (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101903575.html?wprss=rss_technology

The Robots Are Coming! Oh, They’re Here (NY Times)
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/19/the-robots-are-coming-oh-theyre-here/

GENERAL NEWS

Hand Sanitizer Helps Spread Fire At Shelton-Area School (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_101909WAB-shelton-school-fire-SW.2313fed53.html?rss

Shelton City Commission Asked to Reconsider Cutting Police Officer (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=420:shelton-city-commission-asked-to-reconsider-cutting-officer&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Supreme Court Justice Kennedy Blocks Release of R-71 Names (Associated Press)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/10/19/justice-kennedy-blocks-release-of-r-71-names

Landslide Repairs Will Delay Washington Highway Projects (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/6050-landslide-repairs-will-delay-washington-highway-projects/

Income Levels Rise In Washington, 35 Other States (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily12.html?ana=from_rss

Study Says Washington State Has Nation’s Third-Highest Tax Rate (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/10/19/daily9.html?ana=from_rss

Shelton Clears State Audit (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=421:shelton-clears-audit&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Bremerton Mayor’s Salary May Drop 20 Percent (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010099967_apwabremertonmayor.html?syndication=rss

Oh, Rats! Rodents on the Rise - Thurston County sees more critters and in new areas (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1008232.html

Online Commenting: What Works and What Doesn’t? (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/2009/oct/Online-Commenting--What-Works-and-What-Doesn-t--.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

A New Coke? Well, It’s Smaller
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/?nav=rss_email/components

‘Big Brother’ Winnings Used To Buy Pills - Reality Show Winner Admits To Trying To Resell Oxycodone
http://www.kirotv.com/entertainment/21348594/detail.html

Robbery Victim Prays With, Hugs Suspect
http://www.kirotv.com/news/21347992/detail.html

Neighbors Object to Four-Story Tree House - Man Ordered To Destroy Structure
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21347579/detail.html

Wily Coyote Survives Wild Ride - Animal Struck By Car, Gets Trapped Behind Grill
http://www.kirotv.com/family/21345970/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Blue Oyster Cult – Godzilla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6rDWqjnW7w