The Energy News Digest

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Energy News Digest for December 2, 2009

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Energy News Digest for December 1, 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Energy News Digest for November 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)

• Two Apply to Fill Jefferson PUD Vacancy Created by Roberts’ Death
• Phone Glitch Keeps Gig Harbor Electricity Customers in Dark
• Montana - Critics Blast Electric City Power Report
• Naming Rights - Tacoma Power Says No to Dome
• Woodland Considering Utility Tax Increase to Fund New Firefighter Position
• Nevada Power Transmission Line Project Moves Forward
• Pennsylvania - Electricity rates are about to explode (30%) in Berks County
• Maryland Lawmaker Won’t Stand in Way of Re-Regulating Energy Industry
• Paying for Water with Power
• North Carolina - US wanted hydro plant closed
• Virginian Electrocuted - Another hurt taking down temporary lights
• Minnesota Tribe to Rally against Nuclear Expansion
• Entering the Nuclear Age? Duke Energy CEO Wants Federal Control on Energy
• Ohio Electric Supplier Pulls Its Plan for $4B Power Plant
• Wenatchee’s Rocky Reach Dam Sees Huge Steelhead Run
• Prospects Looking Dim Again for Lake Washington Sockeye Fishery
• Columbian Editorial - Salmon in the Creek
• Columbia River Anglers Will Pay New Fee in 2010
• Alaska Fishermen Aim for Higher Quality, Better Prices
• French Oyster Farmers Suffer From Wave of Thefts
• Washington State Considers New Irrigation Water Rights
• Oregon Tax Dollars Blow Away in Wind Projects – Subsidies in question
• Controversial Project Strikes at the Heart of Murrelet Recovery in Washington
• California - Bureaucracy Trips up Renewable Energy Projects
• Port of Longview Profits Soar on Wind Energy
• Wind Turbines Beginning to Energize Alaska
• In the Wind: What’s a Wind Lease?
• Rhode Island Governor to Speak About Offshore Wind Power Plans
• New Jersey Lawmaker Pushing for Windmills on Piers
• Pennsylvania Wind Turbine Plant Laying off 141 Workers
• Solar Panels Causing Some Storms
• Germany Faces Solar Power Component Shortage
• Hearing Set for Massachusetts Bill on Wood Power Plants
• Push for Alternatives to Coal Lights a Fire under Wood-Pellet Industry
• US Unlikely to Use the Ethanol Congress Ordered
• Idaho Ethanol Plant Aims to Reopen as Market Improves
• Mason County: PUD Has Programs, Ideas for Energy-Efficient Home
• Ellensburg to Join in ‘Smart Grid’ Effort
• Puget Sound Energy Offers Tips for Safe & Efficient Ways to Light up the Holidays
• Montana - Multimillion-Dollar Meters
• Conservation pays off for Northern Wasco County PUD
• Ordinary Buildings to Respond to Electricity Demands
• LED Bulbs Save Substantial Energy, a Study Finds
• Protecting the Forests & Hoping for Payback
• Richland Woman Bound for Denmark Climate Conference
• Carbon-Credit Dispute Threatens New Climate Deal
• The Carbon-Subprime Connection: A Cautionary Tale?
• Wall Street Journal Editorial - ‘Cap & Trade Is Dead’
• Hacked E-Mail Data Prompts Calls for Changes in Climate Research
• Washington Post Editorial - It’s Not the Climate; It’s the Cover-up
• New Climate Targets May Not Change Daily Life Much
• Monday Climate Change Meeting Seeks Public Input
• When Trees Fall Next Door, Neighbors Make the
• Airlines Call Christmas Truce in the Green War
• Rural Carriers Quickly Embracing Fiber
• Waterloo, Fastest (Internet) Town in the Midwest
• Nebraska - Recession Slows Plan to Build Bunker Data Centers
• In-Flight Internet Taking Off With Row 44
• Will Cyber Monday End With a Bang or a Whimper?
• Don’t Bet Newspapers Will Get Rich Shunning Google
• Suspect Wanted in Lakewood Police Shootings Not Found in Seattle House
• Former Shelton Officer: Slain female officer remembered
• Huckabee Commuted Sentence of Man Tied to Police Slayings
• Former Evergreen Student, Ecoterrorism Suspect Sentenced in China
• Former Idaho Congressman Loses Appeal in Swindling Case
• Timber Prices Rally; Trade Group Foresees Demand
• Noble Fir Trees Harder to Come by This Christmas
• Signal Fading on Radio Traffic Reports
• You’ve got mail – for 6 years

WORD OF THE DAY

Congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\ • adjective - 1*a: being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b: conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation: appropriate 2: marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements

The bleary-eyed reviewer slowly turned his gaze from what appeared to be a concerted letter-writing campaign by a certain candy cane company which had been trying to keep its confections in the hands of department store Santas. “The congruous nature of these letters is astounding,” he sighed. “They’re exactly the same, tout the benefits of high fructose corn syrup for children, and are all return addressed to the north pole.”

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

Two Apply to Fill Jefferson PUD Vacancy Created by Roberts’ Death (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20091130/news/311309994

Phone Glitch Keeps Gig Harbor Electricity Customers in Dark (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010357789_penlight26m.html?syndication=rss

Montana - Critics Blast Electric City Power Report: Should Great Falls stay in the electricity business (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20091128/NEWS01/911280311/Critics+blast+Electric+City+Power+report

Naming Rights - Tacoma Power Says No to Dome: Public utility won’t buy naming rights to icon, but it will help upgrade the lighting (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/974275.html

Woodland Considering Utility Tax Increase to Fund New Firefighter Position (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/11/28//area_news/doc4b107e7195c89535121130.txt

Nevada Power Transmission Line Project Moves Forward (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/29/state/n130245S78.DTL&feed=rss.business

Pennsylvania - Electricity rates are about to explode (30%) in Berks County “…Rate caps put in place to foster competition in the electric generation industry…actually backfired & resulted in 13 years of unrealistically low electric rates in Pennsylvania…” (Reading Eagle, PA)
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=172027

Maryland Lawmaker Won’t Stand in Way of Re-Regulating Energy Industry (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2009/11/30/story13.html?ana=from_rss

Paying for Water with Power (Arizona Republic, Phoenix, AZ)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2009/11/28/20091128biz-srpwater1129.html

North Carolina - US wanted hydro plant closed (News Record, Greensboro, NC)
http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/11/29/article/us_wanted_hydro_plant_closed

Virginian Electrocuted - Another hurt taking down temporary lights for repair of water main (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/25/AR2009112501839.html?wprss=rss_metro

Minnesota Tribe to Rally against Nuclear Expansion (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010368434_apusminnesotanuclearpower.html?syndication=rss

Entering the Nuclear Age? Duke Energy CEO Wants Federal Control on Energy (Daily Finance)
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/28/entering-the-nuclear-age-a-utilities-ceo-wants-federal-control/

Ohio Electric Supplier Pulls Its Plan for $4B Power Plant (Toledo Blade, OH)
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091126/BUSINESS01/911260359/-1/BUSINESS05

FISH & WILDLIFE

Wenatchee’s Rocky Reach Dam Sees Huge Steelhead Run (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/nov/25/counters-log-record-run-of-steelhead/

Prospects Looking Dim Again for Lake Washington Sockeye Fishery “…It doesn’t make any sense that the Lake Washington & Fraser River [in British Columbia] sockeye runs were so poor, while the Columbia River was so good…” (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2010379208_outn29.html

Columbian Editorial - Salmon in the Creek: Small victory seen in ongoing local struggle to improve fish habitat
http://columbian.com/article/20091130/OPINION02/711309987/-1/opinion

Columbia River Anglers Will Pay New Fee in 2010 (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/adventure/story/969784.html

Alaska Fishermen Aim for Higher Quality, Better Prices (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010385420_apakbristolbayseafood.html?syndication=rss

French Oyster Farmers Suffer From Wave of Thefts - A shortage of shellfish created by a virus has led rogue growers to steal from their colleagues (Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/french-oyster-farmers-thefts

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Washington State Considers New Irrigation Water Rights (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/nov/28/washington-considers-new-irrigation-water-rights/

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Oregon Tax Dollars Blow Away in Wind Projects – Subsidies in question (Oregonian)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/11/tax_dollars_blow_away_in_wind.html

Controversial Project Strikes at the Heart of Murrelet Recovery in Washington (Conservation NW)
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1201/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=28101

California - Bureaucracy Trips up Renewable Energy Projects (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/26/MN451AP7MF.DTL

Port of Longview Profits Soar on Wind Energy (Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/11/27//area_news/doc4b0f8312597db892509738.txt

Wind Turbines Beginning to Energize Alaska - More Alaskans harness renewable energy (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
http://www.adn.com/3221/story/1032572.html

In the Wind: What’s a Wind Lease? (Queen City News, Helena, MT)
http://www.queencitynews.com/modules.php?sid=10858&thold=0&order=0&file=article&name=News&op=modload

Rhode Island Governor to Speak About Offshore Wind Power Plans (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/30/financial/f073858S03.DTL&feed=rss.business

New Jersey Lawmaker Pushing for Windmills on Piers (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010369408_apuswindmillenergynewjersey.html?syndication=rss

Pennsylvania Wind Turbine Plant Laying off 141 Workers (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010368425_apusturbineplantlayoffspennsylvania.html?syndication=rss

Solar Panels Causing Some Storms - Even as California & the federal government encourage solar power, homeowners often have to fight homeowners associations for their right to install the systems (Los Angeles Times, CA)
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-solar-panels30-2009nov30,0,5567208.story

Germany Faces Solar Power Component Shortage (Energy Matters)
http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=680

Hearing Set for Massachusetts Bill on Wood Power Plants (Associated Press)
http://nhbr.com/news/statenewengland/456969-227/hearing-set-for-mass.-bill-on-wood.html

Push for Alternatives to Coal Lights a Fire under Wood-Pellet Industry (Edmonton Journal, Alberta)
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Push+alternatives+coal+lights+fire+under+wood+pellet+industry/2279107/story.html

US Unlikely to Use the Ethanol Congress Ordered (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/business/energy-environment/27ethanol.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Idaho Ethanol Plant Aims to Reopen as Market Improves (Associated Press)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2343033~ID_ethanol_plant_aims_to_reopen_as_market_improves.html?cid=rss-Idaho_Headlines

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Mason County: PUD Has Programs, Ideas for Energy-Efficient Home (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1053551.html

Ellensburg to Join in ‘Smart Grid’ Effort - $600,000 grant will help city contribute to regional energy-sharing project (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2009/11/26/ellensburg-to-join-in-smart-grid-effort

Puget Sound Energy Offers Tips for Safe & Efficient Ways to Light up the Holidays Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=123541

Montana - Multimillion-Dollar Meters: NorthWestern Energy gets grant to test smart grid in & around Capitol (Helena Independent-Record, MT)
http://www.helenair.com/news/local/article_38d9c0f0-dd74-11de-bfce-001cc4c002e0.html

Conservation pays off for Northern Wasco County PUD (Dalles Chronicle, OR)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2009/11/news11-27-09-02.shtml

Ordinary Buildings to Respond to Electricity Demands (R&D Magazine)
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2009/11/Energy-Ordinary-buildings-to-respond-to-electricity-demands/

LED Bulbs Save Substantial Energy, a Study Finds (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/business/energy-environment/30led.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Protecting the Forests & Hoping for Payback (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/science/earth/29trees.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Richland Woman Bound for Denmark Climate Conference (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/972156.html

Carbon-Credit Dispute Threatens New Climate Deal (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/29/AR2009112902405.html?wprss=rss_business

The Carbon-Subprime Connection: A Cautionary Tale? (Financial Times of London, UK)
http://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/2009/11/30/the-carbon-subprime-connection-a-cautionary-tale/

Wall Street Journal Editorial - ‘Cap & Trade Is Dead’
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB20001424052748703499404574558070997168360.html

Hacked E-Mail Data Prompts Calls for Changes in Climate Research (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/science/earth/28hack.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Washington Post Editorial - It’s Not the Climate; It’s the Coverup: Scientists have the evidence on their side but toss the unbelievers a bone
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/75066562.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

New Climate Targets May Not Change Daily Life Much (Seattle Tmes)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2010361304_apusclimatecosts.html?syndication=rss

Monday Climate Change Meeting Seeks Public Input (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1049851.html

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

When Trees Fall Next Door, Neighbors Make the Noise (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/nyregion/29tree.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Airlines Call Christmas Truce in the Green War (The Telegraph, UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/kamal-ahmed/6678146/Airlines-call-Christmas-truce-in-the-green-war.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Rural Carriers Quickly Embracing Fiber - Both fiber to the node, & to the home (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Rural-Carriers-Quickly-Embracing-Fiber-105701

Waterloo, Fastest (Internet) Town in the Midwest (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/11/30/waterloo-iowa-will-soon-have-faster-internet-than-you-do/

Nebraska - Recession Slows Plan to Build Bunker Data Centers (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010383169_apnebytebunkers.html?syndication=rss

In-Flight Internet Taking Off With Row 44 (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010386245_btinflightinternet30.html?syndication=rss

Will Cyber Monday End With a Bang or a Whimper? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/11/30/will-cyber-monday-end-with-a-bang-or-a-whimper/

Don’t Bet Newspapers Will Get Rich Shunning Google (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-2345942~Don_t_bet_newspapers_will_get_rich_shunning_Google.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

GENERAL NEWS

Suspect Wanted in Lakewood Police Shootings Not Found in Seattle House (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/974749.html

Former Shelton Officer: Slain female officer remembered as stickler for officer safety - ‘So hard for me to believe that someone could ambush her,’ former chief says (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412738_griswold30.html?source=rss

Huckabee Commuted Sentence of Man Tied to Police Slayings (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412737_suspect230.html?source=rss

Former Evergreen Student, Ecoterrorism Suspect Sentenced in China (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1052656.html

Former Idaho Congressman Loses Appeal in Swindling Case (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/30/former-idaho-congressman-loses-appeal/

Timber Prices Rally; Trade Group Foresees Demand (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010364444_aportimberprices.html?syndication=rss

Noble Fir Trees Harder to Come by This Christmas (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/412702_firs27.html?source=rss

Signal Fading on Radio Traffic Reports (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010369311_apustrafficwatchers.html?syndication=rss

You’ve got mail – for 6 years: Pierce County Employees’ e-mails to be stored in effort to support public accessibility, executive says (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/972046.html

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

‘12 Days of Christmas’ Items’ Cost Would Top $87,000
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/29/national/a210210S11.DTL&feed=rss.news

Dog with Name Tag ‘Works’ Drive-Through
http://www.kirotv.com/money/21725311/detail.html

Comatose for 23 Years, Belgian Feels Reborn - Belgian Man Was Conscious During 23-Year ‘Coma’
http://www.kirotv.com/health/21709881/detail.html

Beatles, Ukulele-Style (Nat’l Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120915943

SONG OF THE DAY

From Me to You - Beatles Ukulele Cover Version
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw-S-YEDC60

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Energy News Digest for November 25, 2009

The Energy News Digest will be celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends the rest of this week. May you all have the opportunity to do the same. May we all give thanks for our blessings, and learn from our hardships.

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)

• US Dept. of Energy Selects Pacific NW for $178M Smart Grid Demo
• 9-1-1 Not the Place for Power Outage Information
• Proposed BPA Substation Would Cut into Troutdale’s Development-Ready Land
• Enron & Others Pay for Roles in Manufactured Energy ‘Crisis’
• First in Six Years - Benton PUD to boost residential rates starting Jan. 1
• Some Douglas County Residents Billed for City Utility Tax
• Proposed 26.6 % Electric Rate Hike Sparks Worries in SD
• West Virginia Delays Power Line Decision until Feb. 2011
• Report: Indiana Power Plants Fourth Dirtiest in US - Washington 11th cleanest, Oregon 10th cleanest
• Pacific Gas & Electric Seeks Diablo Canyon Nuke License Renewal
• West Pennsylvania Nuclear Reactor Stops after ‘Unusual Event’
• Beyond Yucca: Experts Question Hanford’s Waste Treatment Plant
• Winter Electric Reliability Outlook Generally Good
• Florida’s Utility Regulators Focus on Ethics
• Salmon Plan Is Close, Judge Says
• Redden Says 2008 BiOp, New Adaptive Management Plan ‘A Good Piece Of Work’
• No Light at End of Fish Debate Tunnel
• Editorial: Our (endangered species) Laws Conflict
• Statement on the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion
• Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board To Make $48 Million in Project Decisions
• Chelan PUD Boat Barrier to Protect New Fish Habitat
• Columbia River Ringold Steelhead Fishery Still Kicking Out Fish
• Invasive Snails Close Capitol Lake Boating
• Stormwater Projects Approved in Three Wash. Cities
• Which US States Make the Grade On Net-Metering?
• ‘US or Else’ Mentality Could Stymie Wind Energy Growth
• Wind Rights Whip Up Controversy
• Wave Energy Generator Pumps Power to Scotland
• Let Puget Sound Energy Manage Your Thermostat & Get Paid
• Avista Plans to Show off ‘Smart Grid’ in Pullman
• Avista Pushes Climate Bill - Business group lobbies for cap-and-trade
• California Takes Step to Limit Emissions
• Obama to Go to Copenhagen with Pledge of Emissions Cuts
• Poll Shows Fewer Americans Believe in Global Warming
• Editorial - PECO Should Pass Cap & Trade Windfall On To Its Customers
• Dead Sea Clings on for Dear Life
• FCC Chairman: Broadband Access Should Be Universal
• Despite Billions in Universal Service Fund Fees, U.S. Libraries Lack Bandwidth
• FCC Broadband Problem List Omits ‘No Competition,’ FCC Itself
• Comments On Net Neutrality Irk AT& T
• Clearwire Nabs $2.8 Billion in Additional Funding
• Can News Corp. Afford Calling Google’s Bluff?
• Mason County Fires HR Director
• Second Arrest Made in Murder of Former Belfair Resident
• Mason General Hospital Announced $33 Million Expansion
• After the Floods - Unraveling the Mystery behind the Northwest’s Scablands

WORD OF THE DAY

Accentuate • \ack-SENT-shuh-wait\ • noun – Accent, emphasize; also: intensify

A wonderful Thanksgiving sentiment from Mr. Johnny Mercer:

You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
And latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between

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

US Dept. of Energy Selects Pacific NW for $178M Smart Grid Demo (Your Story)
http://www.your-story.org/doe-selects-nw-for-178m-smart-grid-demo-58647/

9-1-1 Not the Place for Power Outage Information (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
http://www.kelaam.com/pages/localnews?9-1-1-Not-The-Place-for-Power-Outage-Inf=1&blockID=95028&feedID=410

Proposed BPA Substation Would Cut into Troutdale’s Development-Ready Land - Leaders concerned about impact of project (Gresham Outlook, OR)
http://www.theoutlookonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=125911092760962100

Enron & Others Pay for Roles in Manufactured Energy ‘Crisis’ (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091125/NEWS01/711259844

First in Six Years - Benton PUD to boost residential rates starting Jan. 1 (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/805587.html

Some Douglas County Residents Billed for City Utility Tax (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/nov/25/some-douglas-county-residents-billed-for-city-tax/

Proposed 26.6 % Electric Rate Hike Sparks Worries in SD (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010352451_apusbhprateincreasesouthdakota.html?syndication=rss

West Virginia Delays Power Line Decision until Feb. 2011 (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010345103_apusmultistatepowerlinewestvirginia.html?syndication=rss

Report: Indiana Power Plants Fourth Dirtiest in US - Washington 39, Oregon 40 (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010345749_apuspowerplantspollutionindiana.html?syndication=rss

Link to Environment America Report on Power Plants Is Here:
http://www.environmentamerica.org/home/reports/report-archives/global-warming-solutions/global-warming-solutions/americas-biggest-polluters-carbon-dioxide-emissions-from-power-plants-in-2009#tduTppMOy9H6e9Y0dyCUeg

Pacific Gas & Electric Seeks Diablo Canyon Nuke License Renewal (SF Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/24/BUL61AQ0CA.DTL&type=business

West Pennsylvania Nuclear Reactor Stops after ‘Unusual Event’ (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010344624_apuswpanuclearreactor.html?syndication=rss

Beyond Yucca: Experts Question Hanford’s Waste Treatment Plant (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/6268-beyond-yucca-experts-question-hanfords-waste-treatment-plant/

Winter Electric Reliability Outlook Generally Good (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=123284

Florida’s Utility Regulators Focus on Ethics (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2010347240_apusfloridapscethics.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Salmon Plan Is Close, Judge Says - But the federal government must decide whether it wants to reopen the process to make sure Obama administration additions are legal (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/984569.html

Redden Says 2008 BiOp, New Adaptive Management Plan ‘A Good Piece Of Work’ (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/366278.aspx

No Light at End of Fish Debate Tunnel (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/6270-no-light-end-fish-debate-tunnel/

Albany Democrat Editorial: Our Laws Conflict
http://www.democratherald.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_460f3ede-d929-11de-a760-001cc4c002e0.html

Statement on the Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion (Nat’l Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration)
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20091124_columbiariver.html

Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board To Make $48 Million in Project Decisions (Columbia Basin Bulletin)
http://www.cbbulletin.com/366274.aspx

Chelan PUD Boat Barrier to Protect New Fish Habitat (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2009/nov/24/boat-barrier-to-protect-new-fish-habitat/

Columbia River Ringold Steelhead Fishery Still Kicking Out Fish (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/reeltimenorthwest/2010344557_columbia_river_ringold_steelhe.html

Invasive Snails Close Capitol Lake Boating (Olympian, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/1048579.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Stormwater Projects Approved in Three Wash. Cities (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010344787_apwastimuluscleanwater.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Which US States Make the Grade On Net-Metering? (Reuters)
http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2009/11/25/which-us-states-make-the-grade-on-net-metering/

‘US or Else’ Mentality Could Stymie Wind Energy Growth (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/11/wind-energy-components-should-not-necessarily-be-made-in-the-u-s-a-?cmpid=rss

Wind Rights Whip Up Controversy (KYFR-TV, Bismarck, ND)
http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=35802

Wave Energy Generator Pumps Power to Scotland (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10404209-54.html?tag=nl.e703

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Let Puget Sound Energy Manage Your Thermostat & Get Paid (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/73372437.html

Avista Plans to Show off ‘Smart Grid’ in Pullman (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/25/avista-plans-to-show-off-smart-grid-in-pullman/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Avista Pushes Climate Bill - Business group lobbies for cap-and-trade (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/25/avista-pushes-climate-bill/

California Takes Step to Limit Emissions (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/science/earth/25climate.html

Obama to Go to Copenhagen with Pledge of Emissions Cuts (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/us/politics/26climate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Poll Shows Fewer Americans Believe in Global Warming (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/11/24/ST2009112403099.html?hpid=topnews

Pottstown PA Mercury Editorial - PECO Should Pass Cap & Trade Windfall On To Its Customers
http://www.pottstownmercury.com/articles/2009/11/24/opinion/srv0000006862176.txt

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Dead Sea Clings on for Dear Life (The Telegraph, UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatnews/6642474/Dead-Sea-clings-on-for-dear-life.html

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Chairman: Broadband Access Should Be Universal (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/25/financial/f051435S42.DTL&feed=rss.news

Despite Billions in Universal Service Fund Fees, U.S. Libraries Lack Bandwidth - Welcome to dysfunction junction (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Despite-Billions-In-USF-Fees-US-Libraries-Lack-Bandwidth-105633

FCC Broadband Problem List Omits ‘No Competition,’ FCC Itself - Surely decades of bad FCC policy carries some responsibility? (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Broadband-Problem-List-Omits-No-Competition-FCC-Itself-105620

Comments On Net Neutrality Irk AT& T - White House official links the issue to censorship in China (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/24/AR2009112404175.html?wprss=rss_technology

Clearwire Nabs $2.8 Billion in Additional Funding - Now they just need to build the network, run it well, & add users (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Clearwire-Nabs-28-Billion-In-Additional-Funding-105642

Can News Corp. Afford Calling Google’s Bluff? (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-30684_3-10403830-265.html?tag=nl.e703

GENERAL NEWS

Mason County Fires HR Director (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=705:mason-county-fires-hr-director&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Second Arrest Made in Murder of Former Belfair Resident
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/nov/24/second-arrest-made-in-murder-of-former-belfair/?partner=RSS

Mason General Hospital Announced $33 Million Expansion (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://masoncountydailynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=703:mgh-announced-33-million-expansion&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

After the Floods - Unraveling the Mystery behind the Northwest’s Scablands (High Country News)
http://www.hcn.org/issues/41.20/after-the-floods

ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS

Police to Drop Theft Charges against Lehigh University Non-Tippers
http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/all-tip-charges-112309-cn,0,3955261.story

Scientific Proof That You Hate Christmas Creep (Note: there may be PG-13 language in the comments section)
http://consumerist.com/2009/11/scientific-proof-that-christmas-creep-is-evil.html

Conflict over Where Dogs Do Their Business Escalates in Lakewood
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/968298.html

Neighbor Calls for Break-In, Accidentally Busts Pot Grow
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattle911/archives/186098.asp?source=pimail

SONG OF THE DAY

ZZ Top - I Thank You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa3vzkNUVa0

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Energy News Digest for November 24, 2009