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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Jefferson County PUD – Valid petition signatures lead toward November election
- Oregon utility bills expected to jump
- P-I Columnist, Bill Virgin – Does foreign ownership matter?
- Tri-City Herald Opinion – Little wonder Areva didn't choose Washington for nuclear enrichment plant
- Western governors, utility heads seek energy solutions
- Auditors: Nuclear plants not following fire rules
- CALIFORNIA – More falsified documents investigated at San Onofre nuclear power plant
- NEW YORK – Con Ed leads workers off job sites after deal deadline, union says
- FERC Chairman comments on current and future state of regional wholesale electricity markets
- ALASKA – Weak runs of king salmon alarm, puzzle biologists
- Two Makah whalers sent to prison
- Chinook closed above Bonneville - Season had been scheduled to run through the end of the month
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game to close salmon fishing
- Hundreds of fish tunnels need to be unclogged
- IDAHO – US Supreme Court refuses to hear case of developer who violated water act
- Canary in a tux? Penguin woes signal sea problems
- Hood Canal Scientists Announce Oxygen Study Findings
- People helping to suffocate Hood Canal, scientists say
- Seattle Times Opinion – Boost Puget Sound to a higher profile
- Black Rock reservoir alternatives get closer look
- MONTANA – Flathead Lake weather at last: Melting snowpack bringing water levels near full pool
- Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Stories of the ocean go well beyond the beach
- Young couple caught skinny-dipping in Portland water reservoir
- Careers in wind flow into gorge
- Finding a Second Life for Retired Wind Turbines
- CALIFORNIA – Massive solar plan is linked to San Diego Gas & Electric
- Ausra's Las Vegas solar thermal plant comes online
- Weather Risks Cloud Promise of Biofuel
- San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Biofuels help meet U.S. energy goals
- PENNSYLVANIA – Green energy in, cost cutting out
- Shedding Light: Conservation program helps St. Vincent de Paul save money
- Energy-saving light bulbs have many perks
- ALABAMA – Birmingham Cuts Work Week To Save Energy Costs
- CANADA – Carbon tax boosts gas prices starting today
- Georgia Judge Cites Carbon Dioxide in Denying Coal Plant Permit
- Idaho Statesman Opinion – Our view: The greenhouse gas debate is over. It's time for action
- EBay Ordered to Pay $61 Million in Sale of Counterfeit Goods
- Yahoo takes its defense against Icahn to investors
- Hang up and drive: Ban on hand-held cell phones begins
- Man arrested for scrap metal theft
- Meeting On Parking In Downtown Shelton Set
- Moody's says personnel fail to follow guidelines
- State Senator Val Stevens' campaign signs burned
- Real Estate: How Gas Prices Are Affecting the Suburbs
- CALIFORNIA – Battle brews over raiders of recycling bins
- OREGON – Clatskanie hoopsters settle suit over player-coach spat
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Raconteur • \rack-on-TURR\ • noun – A person who excels in telling anecdotes
Never at a loss for words, Bertha was considered the company’s foremost raconteur. She could tell stories about her work with regional transmission organizations that would make people’s hair curl. Her downfall was chit-chat on everyday, mundane happenings. She just couldn’t talk about her children or social life without tying them into some anecdote about electricity and transmission capacity.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Jefferson County PUD – Valid petition signatures lead toward November election on East Jefferson electricity future (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080701/NEWS/807010305
Oregon utility bills expected to jump – consumers can expect to pay more for power as regional utilities buy expensive wholesale electricity to meet rising customer demand while investing heavily to meet renewable energy (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1467038~Oregon_utility_bills_expected_to_jump.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
P-I Columnist, Bill Virgin – Does foreign ownership matter? The proposed purchase of Bellevue-based Puget Energy Inc. continues to prompt unhappiness among the utility's customers in Western Washington (Seattle WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/369020_virgin01.html?source=rss
Tri-City Herald Opinion – Little wonder Areva didn't choose Washington for nuclear enrichment plant
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/227143.html
Western governors, utility heads seek energy solutions – Say transmission key to meeting region's energy needs (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080701/western_governors.html?.v=1
Auditors: Nuclear plants not following fire rules – Operators of nuclear power plants have yet to comply with some of the government's fire safety rules three decades after they were issued, a congressional report said Monday (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008025949_apreactorsfire.html?syndication=rss
CALIFORNIA – More falsified documents investigated at San Onofre nuclear power plant – Officials say there is no safety concern (North County Times, Escondido, CA)
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/06/28/news/coastal/oceanside/z479b66a2869a9481882574750060d7e3.txt
NEW YORK – Con Ed leads workers off job sites after deal deadline, union says (New York Daily News)
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/06/29/2008-06-29_con_ed_leads_workers_off_job_sites_after.html
News Release – FERC Chairman Joseph T. Kelliher comments on current and future state of regional wholesale electricity markets (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC)
http://www.ferc.gov/news/statements-speeches/kelliher/2008/07-01-08-kelliher.asp
FISH & WILDLIFE
ALASKA – Weak runs of king salmon alarm, puzzle biologists – Fishery managers struggle to explain smaller runs on Yukon, elsewhere (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/449953.html
Two Makah whalers sent to prison (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080701/NEWS/807010308
Chinook closed above Bonneville - Season had been scheduled to run through the end of the month, but high angler numbers and success rates exhausted the allowed total catch (The Statesman Journal, Salem, OR)
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/OUTDOORS/807010321/1034/SPORTS
Idaho Department of Fish and Game to close salmon fishing on Little Salmon, sections of Clearwater by Tuesday (The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/110/story/429587.html
Hundreds of fish tunnels need to be unclogged (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080629/NEWS01/790304974/-1/RSS02
IDAHO – US Supreme Court refuses to hear case of developer who violated water act (The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/business/story/423585.html
Canary in a tux? Penguin woes signal sea problems (The Associated Press, via the Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP07012008news335280.cfm
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Hood Canal Scientists Announce Oxygen Study Findings (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jun/30/hood-canal-scientists-announce-findings/
People helping to suffocate Hood Canal, scientists say – People drawn to the beauty of Hood Canal are helping suffocate the very waters that brought them here (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008026792_hoodcanal01m.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Times Opinion – Boost Puget Sound to a higher profile – Raise Puget Sound's profile in Congress to match the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay and the Everglades (Seattle, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008026240_pugeted01.html?syndication=rss
Black Rock reservoir alternatives get closer look (The Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/5397
MONTANA – Flathead Lake weather at last: Melting snowpack bringing water levels near full pool (The Missoulian, MT)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/07/01/news/mtregional/news06.txt
Seattle Times Guest Columnist – Stories of the ocean go well beyond the beach (Seattle, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2008026242_oceanoped01.html?syndication=rss
Young couple caught skinny-dipping in Portland water reservoir (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368972_skinnydipping01.html?source=rss
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Careers in wind flow into gorge (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/06/07012008_Careers-in-wind-flow-into-gorge.cfm/
Finding a Second Life for Retired Wind Turbines (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52888&src=rss
CALIFORNIA – Massive solar plan is linked to San Diego Gas & Electric – Proposed plant would power 500,000 homes in San Diego (San Diego Union-Tribune, CA)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080701-9999-1b1solar.html
Ausra's Las Vegas solar thermal plant comes online (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9980815-54.html
Weather Risks Cloud Promise of Biofuel (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/business/01weather.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Op/Ed – Biofuels help meet U.S. energy goals
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/01/EDNR11F0AG.DTL&feed=rss.opinion
PENNSYLVANIA – Green energy in, cost cutting out (The Patriot News, Harrisburg, PA)
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1214870117244180.xml&coll=1
CONSERVATION
Northern Wasco County PUD – Shedding Light: Conservation program helps St. Vincent de Paul save money, improve conditions (The Dalles Chronicle, OR)
http://www.thedalleschronicle.com/news/2008/06/news06-30-08-01.shtml
Energy-saving light bulbs have many perks (KXAN-TV, Austin, TX)
http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=8581774
ALABAMA – Birmingham Cuts Work Week To Save Energy Costs (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92060051&ft=1&f=3
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Carbon tax boosts gas prices starting today (The Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=7d43b7cf-cd2e-487e-b79a-0d5d81fcdb9c
Georgia Judge Cites Carbon Dioxide in Denying Coal Plant Permit (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/business/01coal.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214926569-J2Cp24z+cI/da4S7NjezDw
Idaho Statesman Opinion – Our view: The greenhouse gas debate is over. It's time for action (Boise ID)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/story/428299.html
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
EBay Ordered to Pay $61 Million in Sale of Counterfeit Goods (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/technology/01ebay.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214927160-KghBdcoGUSxg0HJrxOu1cQ
Yahoo takes its defense against Icahn to investors – Yahoo began pressing a case to major shareholders Monday that its board and management deserve a chance to prove they made the right move (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008026635_msyahoo01.html?syndication=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Hang up and drive: Ban on hand-held cell phones begins (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/horsey/viewbydate.asp?ID=1783
Man arrested for scrap metal theft (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/06/30/news/news03.txt
Meeting On Parking In Downtown Shelton Set (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/384/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Moody's says personnel fail to follow guidelines – Credit ratings agency Moody's Investors Service said Tuesday it began disciplinary proceedings against workers involved in reviewing certain European debt ratings. (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008027171_apmoodysreview.html?syndication=rss
State Senator Val Stevens' campaign signs burned (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080701/NEWS01/24217272/-1/RSS02
Real Estate: How Gas Prices Are Affecting the Suburbs – Will higher commuting costs kill the suburbs? (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/144114?from=rss
CALIFORNIA – Battle brews over raiders of recycling bins – Scavengers trolling for glass, metal and other resalable materials (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/30/MNVI11GE90.DTL&feed=rss.news
OREGON – Clatskanie hoopsters settle suit over player-coach spat (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/07/01//area_news/10307223.txt
ELEPHANTS ON ACID - DIVERSIONS
Canada Truck Crash Turns Honeybee Cargo into Sting Operation
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/Americas/June-08/Canada-Truck-Crash-Turns-Honeybee-Cargo-into-Sting-Operation.html
Some fear debut of powerful atom-smasher: Will it spawn a black hole that could swallow Earth?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/06/30/doomsdaycollider.ap/index.html?eref=ib_topstories
Massive Catfish Chokes On Soccer Ball In German Canal
http://www.kirotv.com/irresistible/16760131/detail.html
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Monday, June 30, 2008
Energy News Digest for June 30, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Grant County PUD – Group questions potential participation in Montana coal project
- Tri Cities, WA – Storm, fire knock out power, more heat expected
- Idaho Power seeks another rate hike, nearly ten percent
- Island County OKs PSE franchise renewal
- Whidbey PUD Campaign Web Site
- News Release – NorthWestern Energy Submits Colstrip Unit 4 Filing
- Kaiser Aluminum to add energy surcharges to fabricated aluminum orders
- Detroit News Op/Ed – Don't let State of Michigan dictate energy choices
- NEW YORK – Con Edison Contract Talks Suspended
- San Francisco Chronicle Columnists – Extra spark in Ma's push for electric meters?
- Idaho could see a very strong sockeye year
- IDAHO – Surprising sockeye salmon run hits river
- Canada urged to cancel native commercial fisheries after court decision
- Cowlitz Fish Hatchery 2.0
- OREGON – A Winchester Bay cannery copes with the cutoff in the salmon fishery
- Columbia River sturgeon anglers to get eight more days
- Tacoma federal court sentencing for Makah whalers
- Buying bottled water: Should you feel guilty — or trendy?
- Seattle Times Opinion – Bottoms up at the tap
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Puget Sound: Paying attention
- Great Lakes compact focus shifting to Congress
- La Center to hike sewer rates as home-building revenue falls
- Algae Threatens Olympic Sailing
- Goldwater Institute sues Arizona Corporation Commission over renewable energy fee
- Rhode Island governor vetoes renewable energy bill
- In an Age of Fossil Fuel, Returning to the Water for Electricity
- Solar companies left in the dark
- Geothermal hits home
- Gust of energy needed to procure wind power jobs
- Congressional Research Service – Wind Power in the United States
- Biodiesel Keeps Pumping, But Growth Slows
- Washington State prisons take fresh look at conservation
- Energy's easiest fix: Use less
- COLORADO – Energy Audit On Home Could Save Big Money
- Times Beacon Record Op/Ed – Long Island Power Authority: When is enough enough?
- CANADA – Dion wading into dark Western clouds over carbon tax proposal
- CANADA – Northern premiers reject carbon tax plan
- CANADA – Jonathan Kay: A carbon tax might work in principle, but it won't work in Canada
- Wired glacier project puts scientists up close with Arctic ice sheets
- Data Centers Explore Novel Ways to Cut Energy Use
- Lack of Funds Shuts Down Wireless Oakland
- Selling your web browsing history: Another ISP Suspends NebuAD Trials
- Industry Laughs Off Bell Canada Congestion Claims
- New hands free cell phone law in effect Tuesday
- Gregoire’s inaction on nuclear enrichment plant cost jobs, say Tri-Cities leaders
- Cutoff of timber money pinches rural Oregon
- Thurston County purchase of $9,000 grill raises budget questions
- Keep eyes open for copper wire thieves
- Washington ranks high in number of artists
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Euphuism • \YOOF-you-wiz-um\ • noun – 1: an elegant Elizabethan literary style marked by excessive use of balance, antithesis, and alliteration and by frequent use of similes drawn from mythology and nature *2: artificial elegance of language
Here’s an example of euphuism from William Blake, and its mellow speak interpretation, courtesy of Doonesbury – circa May 16, 1979:
Rick Redfern: “The moon, like a flower – In heaven's high bower – With silent delight – Sits and smiles on the night” The mellow speak interpretation: “Oh wow, look at the moon!”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grant County PUD – Group questions potential participation in Montana coal project (The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/06/27/news/news03.txt
Tri Cities, WA – Storm, fire knock out power, more heat expected (The Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/226573.html
Idaho Power seeks another rate hike, nearly ten percent (The Associated Press, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/491323.html
Island County OKs PSE franchise renewal – Local power-outage prevention won't be addressed in an agreement that allows Puget Sound Energy to use the public right of way (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1511&TM=42268.57
Whidbey PUD Campaign Web Site
http://www.whidbeypud.org/
News Release – NorthWestern Energy Submits Colstrip Unit 4 Filing With Montana Public Service Commission (PR NewsWire)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080630/aqm045.html?.v=51
Kaiser Aluminum to add energy surcharges to fabricated aluminum orders beginning July 1 (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080630/kaiser_aluminum_energy_surcharge.html?.v=1
Detroit News Op/Ed – Don't let State of Michigan dictate energy choices (Love letter from the “Michigan Alliance for Competitive Energy”)
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080630/OPINION01/806300339
NEW YORK – Con Edison Contract Talks Suspended (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/nyregion/30coned.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Columnists – Extra spark in Ma's push for electric meters? At issue: legislation custom-tailored to give an outfit called Current Grid LLC a leg up in the emerging $5 billion energy-saving industry in California
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/29/BAFE11FSIJ.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
FISH & WILDLIFE
Idaho could see a very strong sockeye year – Columbia River sockeye run could mean the highest total in Idaho in more than 30 years (The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/427402.html
IDAHO – Surprising sockeye salmon run hits river (McClatchy Newspapers, via Arizona Central)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/30/20080630SALMON0630.html
Canada urged to cancel native commercial fisheries after court decision (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=9028f5dd-b54e-4776-8e8c-32c5b9efe52f
Cowlitz Fish Hatchery 2.0 – After 40 Years and Millions of Salmon, Tacoma Power’s Salkum Hatchery Is Undergoing a $23 Million Tune-Up (The Daily Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/rss/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1214589916&archive=
OREGON – A Winchester Bay cannery copes with the cutoff in the salmon fishery (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/O/relationships/index.ssf?/base/living/121435531367930.xml&coll=7
Columbia River sturgeon anglers to get eight more days (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/06/06282008_Columbia-River-sturgeon-anglers-to-get-eight-more-days.cfm?newsletter=1
Tacoma federal court sentencing for Makah whalers (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1465611~Tacoma_federal_court_sentencing_for_Makah_whalers.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Buying bottled water: Should you feel guilty — or trendy? (Washington Post, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024882_water30.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Times Opinion – Bottoms up at the tap – Turn on the tap. The nation's mayors voted to join Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and a few other urban CEOs leading the charge against bottled water
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008021713_bottled28.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Puget Sound: Paying attention – Puget Sound needs more of the nation's attention. The Environmental Protection Agency is a good place to begin ramping up
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/368730_epaed.html?source=rss
Great Lakes compact focus shifting to Congress – A year ago, it seemed a proposed interstate compact designed to prevent thirstier regions from raiding the Great Lakes might be sunk by squabbles among the eight states with jurisdiction over the vast reservoir (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024133_apgreatlakescompact.html?syndication=rss
La Center to hike sewer rates as home-building revenue falls (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/06/06272008_La-Center-to-hike-sewer-rates-as-homebuilding-revenue-falls.cfm/
Algae Threatens Olympic Sailing (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/world/asia/01algae.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Goldwater Institute sues Arizona Corporation Commission over renewable energy fee (Phoenix Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/06/23/daily65.html?ana=from_rss
Rhode Island governor vetoes renewable energy bill (The Associated Press, via the Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2008/06/27/ri_gov_vetoes_bill_to_stimulate_renewable_energy/
In an Age of Fossil Fuel, Returning to the Water for Electricity – The United States Department of Energy estimates that low-head hydropower could eventually meet a third of the nation’s electricity needs, while reducing carbon emissions from fossil-fuel-burning power plants by 35 percent (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/29hydronj.html?ref=nyregionspecial2
Solar companies left in the dark – Builders of solar power plants fear that a government decision to halt applications to use federal lands as it weighs environmental consequences could harm an industry still in its infancy (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1511&TM=42268.57
Geothermal hits home – Geothermal heating and cooling systems are increasingly taking root under the green, green grass of homes (Finance and Commerce Magazine)
http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2008/06/26/Geothermal-hits-home-Number-of-local-residential-installations-is-exploding
Gust of energy needed to procure wind power jobs (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CkjhgoppZUmi%7DGL%7Dbfen%5Fv
Congressional Research Service – Wind Power in the United States: Technology, Economic, and Policy Issues
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34546
Biodiesel Keeps Pumping, But Growth Slows (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4037
CONSERVATION
Washington State prisons take fresh look at conservation – State emphasizes sustainability at institutions (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/492920.html
Energy's easiest fix: Use less “…if the entire car fleet switched to electric, that could put a major dent in oil use…gasoline use would plummet by 70% in the United States if all passenger vehicles were electric, while electricity consumption would rise by just one-sixth (17%)….”(CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/30/news/economy/energy_demand/?postversion=2008063009
COLORADO – Energy Audit On Home Could Save Big Money (KCNC-TV, Denver, CO)
http://cbs4denver.com/local/energy.audit.home.2.759926.html
Times Beacon Record Op/Ed – Long Island Power Authority: When is enough enough? “…To finance…program, LIPA hopes to levy a new $3 per month "assessment" on homeowner bills and a $10 to $25 "assessment" on commercial utility bills…” (Long Island, NY)
http://www.beaconrecord.com/Articles-i-2008-06-26-72916.113114_LIPA_When_is_enough_enough.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Dion wading into dark Western clouds over carbon tax proposal (Canwest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1d5ce31f-3807-41f9-84d9-5a6fc1329b83
CANADA – Northern premiers reject carbon tax plan (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/28/north-carbon.html?ref=rss
CANADA – Jonathan Kay: A carbon tax might work in principle, but it won't work in Canada (The National)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/06/29/jonathan-kay-a-carbon-tax-might-work-in-principle-but-it-won-t-work-in-canada.aspx
Wired glacier project puts scientists up close with Arctic ice sheets (The Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=4a585b1c-78db-42e7-8769-f781223798eb
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Data Centers Explore Novel Ways to Cut Energy Use (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_852573C4006938808825746A0066A153.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Lack of Funds Shuts Down Wireless Oakland – Another citywide wi-fi effort bites the dust (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Lack-of-Funds-Shuts-Down-Wireless-Oakland-95658
Selling your web browsing history: Another ISP Suspends NebuAD Trials – Centurytel suspends trials in face of Congressional inquiry (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Another-ISP-Suspends-NebuAD-Trials-95674
Industry Laughs Off Bell Canada Congestion Claims – Any congestion could be 'easily and inexpensively solved' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Industry-Laughs-Off-Bell-Canada-Congestion-Claims-95679
GENERAL NEWS
New hands free cell phone law in effect Tuesday (The Associated Press, via KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_062908WAB_hands_free_law_SW.8691b5d.html
Gregoire’s inaction on nuclear enrichment plant cost jobs, say Tri-Cities leaders (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/400386.html
Cutoff of timber money pinches rural Oregon – With the cost of living rising, tax hikes aren't likely to shore up county budgets (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1214636121202010.xml&coll=7
Thurston County purchase of $9,000 grill raises budget questions (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/492921.html
Keep eyes open for copper wire thieves (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/492268.html
Washington ranks high in number of artists (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008021097_apwaartisticwashington.html?syndication=rss
Get Locked in Medieval Stockades at the Renaissance Faire in Richland (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8574218
ELEPHANTS ON ACID - DIVERSIONS
Husband of YouTube Star "mortified" by publicity
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080627/wr_nm/smith_dc_2
Forensic tests prove pizza is not just junk food – Sidney lab finds it ranks highest under school food and drink guidelines
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=0464d50c-30e1-475d-9789-4ec315d682eb
British student gets credit for expletive on exam
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/ap_on_fe_st/britain_exam_expletives;_ylt=Ahkrm27e3BdRzrlOhDLAGSvtiBIF
Out-of-state crews post SC signs in wrong places
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/ap_on_fe_st/odd_misdirected_signs;_ylt=AlUQk_V_iLDfDJnPBilRwsftiBIF
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- Grant County PUD – Group questions potential participation in Montana coal project
- Tri Cities, WA – Storm, fire knock out power, more heat expected
- Idaho Power seeks another rate hike, nearly ten percent
- Island County OKs PSE franchise renewal
- Whidbey PUD Campaign Web Site
- News Release – NorthWestern Energy Submits Colstrip Unit 4 Filing
- Kaiser Aluminum to add energy surcharges to fabricated aluminum orders
- Detroit News Op/Ed – Don't let State of Michigan dictate energy choices
- NEW YORK – Con Edison Contract Talks Suspended
- San Francisco Chronicle Columnists – Extra spark in Ma's push for electric meters?
- Idaho could see a very strong sockeye year
- IDAHO – Surprising sockeye salmon run hits river
- Canada urged to cancel native commercial fisheries after court decision
- Cowlitz Fish Hatchery 2.0
- OREGON – A Winchester Bay cannery copes with the cutoff in the salmon fishery
- Columbia River sturgeon anglers to get eight more days
- Tacoma federal court sentencing for Makah whalers
- Buying bottled water: Should you feel guilty — or trendy?
- Seattle Times Opinion – Bottoms up at the tap
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Puget Sound: Paying attention
- Great Lakes compact focus shifting to Congress
- La Center to hike sewer rates as home-building revenue falls
- Algae Threatens Olympic Sailing
- Goldwater Institute sues Arizona Corporation Commission over renewable energy fee
- Rhode Island governor vetoes renewable energy bill
- In an Age of Fossil Fuel, Returning to the Water for Electricity
- Solar companies left in the dark
- Geothermal hits home
- Gust of energy needed to procure wind power jobs
- Congressional Research Service – Wind Power in the United States
- Biodiesel Keeps Pumping, But Growth Slows
- Washington State prisons take fresh look at conservation
- Energy's easiest fix: Use less
- COLORADO – Energy Audit On Home Could Save Big Money
- Times Beacon Record Op/Ed – Long Island Power Authority: When is enough enough?
- CANADA – Dion wading into dark Western clouds over carbon tax proposal
- CANADA – Northern premiers reject carbon tax plan
- CANADA – Jonathan Kay: A carbon tax might work in principle, but it won't work in Canada
- Wired glacier project puts scientists up close with Arctic ice sheets
- Data Centers Explore Novel Ways to Cut Energy Use
- Lack of Funds Shuts Down Wireless Oakland
- Selling your web browsing history: Another ISP Suspends NebuAD Trials
- Industry Laughs Off Bell Canada Congestion Claims
- New hands free cell phone law in effect Tuesday
- Gregoire’s inaction on nuclear enrichment plant cost jobs, say Tri-Cities leaders
- Cutoff of timber money pinches rural Oregon
- Thurston County purchase of $9,000 grill raises budget questions
- Keep eyes open for copper wire thieves
- Washington ranks high in number of artists
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Euphuism • \YOOF-you-wiz-um\ • noun – 1: an elegant Elizabethan literary style marked by excessive use of balance, antithesis, and alliteration and by frequent use of similes drawn from mythology and nature *2: artificial elegance of language
Here’s an example of euphuism from William Blake, and its mellow speak interpretation, courtesy of Doonesbury – circa May 16, 1979:
Rick Redfern: “The moon, like a flower – In heaven's high bower – With silent delight – Sits and smiles on the night” The mellow speak interpretation: “Oh wow, look at the moon!”
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Grant County PUD – Group questions potential participation in Montana coal project (The Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/06/27/news/news03.txt
Tri Cities, WA – Storm, fire knock out power, more heat expected (The Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/226573.html
Idaho Power seeks another rate hike, nearly ten percent (The Associated Press, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/491323.html
Island County OKs PSE franchise renewal – Local power-outage prevention won't be addressed in an agreement that allows Puget Sound Energy to use the public right of way (The Whidbey Examiner, Coupeville, WA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1511&TM=42268.57
Whidbey PUD Campaign Web Site
http://www.whidbeypud.org/
News Release – NorthWestern Energy Submits Colstrip Unit 4 Filing With Montana Public Service Commission (PR NewsWire)
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080630/aqm045.html?.v=51
Kaiser Aluminum to add energy surcharges to fabricated aluminum orders beginning July 1 (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080630/kaiser_aluminum_energy_surcharge.html?.v=1
Detroit News Op/Ed – Don't let State of Michigan dictate energy choices (Love letter from the “Michigan Alliance for Competitive Energy”)
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080630/OPINION01/806300339
NEW YORK – Con Edison Contract Talks Suspended (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/nyregion/30coned.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
San Francisco Chronicle Columnists – Extra spark in Ma's push for electric meters? At issue: legislation custom-tailored to give an outfit called Current Grid LLC a leg up in the emerging $5 billion energy-saving industry in California
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/29/BAFE11FSIJ.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
FISH & WILDLIFE
Idaho could see a very strong sockeye year – Columbia River sockeye run could mean the highest total in Idaho in more than 30 years (The Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/427402.html
IDAHO – Surprising sockeye salmon run hits river (McClatchy Newspapers, via Arizona Central)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/06/30/20080630SALMON0630.html
Canada urged to cancel native commercial fisheries after court decision (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=9028f5dd-b54e-4776-8e8c-32c5b9efe52f
Cowlitz Fish Hatchery 2.0 – After 40 Years and Millions of Salmon, Tacoma Power’s Salkum Hatchery Is Undergoing a $23 Million Tune-Up (The Daily Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/rss/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1214589916&archive=
OREGON – A Winchester Bay cannery copes with the cutoff in the salmon fishery (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/O/relationships/index.ssf?/base/living/121435531367930.xml&coll=7
Columbia River sturgeon anglers to get eight more days (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/06/06282008_Columbia-River-sturgeon-anglers-to-get-eight-more-days.cfm?newsletter=1
Tacoma federal court sentencing for Makah whalers (The Associated Press, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1465611~Tacoma_federal_court_sentencing_for_Makah_whalers.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Buying bottled water: Should you feel guilty — or trendy? (Washington Post, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024882_water30.html?syndication=rss
Seattle Times Opinion – Bottoms up at the tap – Turn on the tap. The nation's mayors voted to join Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and a few other urban CEOs leading the charge against bottled water
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008021713_bottled28.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Opinion – Puget Sound: Paying attention – Puget Sound needs more of the nation's attention. The Environmental Protection Agency is a good place to begin ramping up
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/368730_epaed.html?source=rss
Great Lakes compact focus shifting to Congress – A year ago, it seemed a proposed interstate compact designed to prevent thirstier regions from raiding the Great Lakes might be sunk by squabbles among the eight states with jurisdiction over the vast reservoir (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024133_apgreatlakescompact.html?syndication=rss
La Center to hike sewer rates as home-building revenue falls (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/06/06272008_La-Center-to-hike-sewer-rates-as-homebuilding-revenue-falls.cfm/
Algae Threatens Olympic Sailing (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/world/asia/01algae.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Goldwater Institute sues Arizona Corporation Commission over renewable energy fee (Phoenix Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/06/23/daily65.html?ana=from_rss
Rhode Island governor vetoes renewable energy bill (The Associated Press, via the Boston Globe)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/rhode_island/articles/2008/06/27/ri_gov_vetoes_bill_to_stimulate_renewable_energy/
In an Age of Fossil Fuel, Returning to the Water for Electricity – The United States Department of Energy estimates that low-head hydropower could eventually meet a third of the nation’s electricity needs, while reducing carbon emissions from fossil-fuel-burning power plants by 35 percent (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/29hydronj.html?ref=nyregionspecial2
Solar companies left in the dark – Builders of solar power plants fear that a government decision to halt applications to use federal lands as it weighs environmental consequences could harm an industry still in its infancy (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.whidbeyexaminer.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1511&TM=42268.57
Geothermal hits home – Geothermal heating and cooling systems are increasingly taking root under the green, green grass of homes (Finance and Commerce Magazine)
http://www.finance-commerce.com/article.cfm/2008/06/26/Geothermal-hits-home-Number-of-local-residential-installations-is-exploding
Gust of energy needed to procure wind power jobs (McClatchy Tribune Business News, via Power Marketing Association Online)
http://powermarketers.netcontentinc.net/newsreader.asp?ppa=8knpp%5E%5CkjhgoppZUmi%7DGL%7Dbfen%5Fv
Congressional Research Service – Wind Power in the United States: Technology, Economic, and Policy Issues
http://opencrs.cdt.org/document/RL34546
Biodiesel Keeps Pumping, But Growth Slows (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4037
CONSERVATION
Washington State prisons take fresh look at conservation – State emphasizes sustainability at institutions (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/492920.html
Energy's easiest fix: Use less “…if the entire car fleet switched to electric, that could put a major dent in oil use…gasoline use would plummet by 70% in the United States if all passenger vehicles were electric, while electricity consumption would rise by just one-sixth (17%)….”(CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/30/news/economy/energy_demand/?postversion=2008063009
COLORADO – Energy Audit On Home Could Save Big Money (KCNC-TV, Denver, CO)
http://cbs4denver.com/local/energy.audit.home.2.759926.html
Times Beacon Record Op/Ed – Long Island Power Authority: When is enough enough? “…To finance…program, LIPA hopes to levy a new $3 per month "assessment" on homeowner bills and a $10 to $25 "assessment" on commercial utility bills…” (Long Island, NY)
http://www.beaconrecord.com/Articles-i-2008-06-26-72916.113114_LIPA_When_is_enough_enough.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Dion wading into dark Western clouds over carbon tax proposal (Canwest News Service)
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=1d5ce31f-3807-41f9-84d9-5a6fc1329b83
CANADA – Northern premiers reject carbon tax plan (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/28/north-carbon.html?ref=rss
CANADA – Jonathan Kay: A carbon tax might work in principle, but it won't work in Canada (The National)
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/06/29/jonathan-kay-a-carbon-tax-might-work-in-principle-but-it-won-t-work-in-canada.aspx
Wired glacier project puts scientists up close with Arctic ice sheets (The Victoria Times Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=4a585b1c-78db-42e7-8769-f781223798eb
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Data Centers Explore Novel Ways to Cut Energy Use (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/idg/IDG_852573C4006938808825746A0066A153.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Lack of Funds Shuts Down Wireless Oakland – Another citywide wi-fi effort bites the dust (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Lack-of-Funds-Shuts-Down-Wireless-Oakland-95658
Selling your web browsing history: Another ISP Suspends NebuAD Trials – Centurytel suspends trials in face of Congressional inquiry (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Another-ISP-Suspends-NebuAD-Trials-95674
Industry Laughs Off Bell Canada Congestion Claims – Any congestion could be 'easily and inexpensively solved' (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Industry-Laughs-Off-Bell-Canada-Congestion-Claims-95679
GENERAL NEWS
New hands free cell phone law in effect Tuesday (The Associated Press, via KING-TV, Seattle, WA)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_062908WAB_hands_free_law_SW.8691b5d.html
Gregoire’s inaction on nuclear enrichment plant cost jobs, say Tri-Cities leaders (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/400386.html
Cutoff of timber money pinches rural Oregon – With the cost of living rising, tax hikes aren't likely to shore up county budgets (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1214636121202010.xml&coll=7
Thurston County purchase of $9,000 grill raises budget questions (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/492921.html
Keep eyes open for copper wire thieves (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/492268.html
Washington ranks high in number of artists (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008021097_apwaartisticwashington.html?syndication=rss
Get Locked in Medieval Stockades at the Renaissance Faire in Richland (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8574218
ELEPHANTS ON ACID - DIVERSIONS
Husband of YouTube Star "mortified" by publicity
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080627/wr_nm/smith_dc_2
Forensic tests prove pizza is not just junk food – Sidney lab finds it ranks highest under school food and drink guidelines
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=0464d50c-30e1-475d-9789-4ec315d682eb
British student gets credit for expletive on exam
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/ap_on_fe_st/britain_exam_expletives;_ylt=Ahkrm27e3BdRzrlOhDLAGSvtiBIF
Out-of-state crews post SC signs in wrong places
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080630/ap_on_fe_st/odd_misdirected_signs;_ylt=AlUQk_V_iLDfDJnPBilRwsftiBIF
Friday, June 27, 2008
Energy News Digest for June 27, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- US Supreme Court ruling helps Snohomish County PUD's case in contract dispute
- US Supreme Court Justices keep Snohomish County Public Utility District rate-contract fight alive
- Extra water, wind strain Northwest power grid – The Northwest is awash in electric power this spring
- Bonneville Power Administration removes major obstacle to Cosmopolis mill sale
- Communities consider taking over PSE territory
- Whidbey PUD backers say they are close to reaching petition goal
- CALIFORNIA – Electricity deregulation – a poor choice for consumers
- MONTANA – City of Great Falls puts coal plant on back burner for 30 days
- Inland Power mulls joining non-federal power pool to meet some of its future energy needs
- Man Accused Of Stealing $7,500 In Power From Grays Harbor County PUD
- FERC examines causes of, responses to rising electricity costs
- NEW YORK – Union Says It and Con Edison Are Far Apart on Contract
- Can Power Grid Be Hacked?
- MASSACHUSETTS – Plan to let businesses pool energy purchases
- Poll Reveals Surprising Support for Nuclear Power
- Hauling in their nets for good? U.S. fishing industry grapples with high fuel prices
- Anger surfaces at meeting on Oregon marine reserves
- Sea lions feasted on slightly fewer salmon at Bonneville Dam this year
- Oregon Panel Approves Emergency Funds For Salmon Fishermen
- More Than a Million Salmon Released From Gorst Ponds
- CANADA – Salmon farms move to protect wild fish from sea lice
- Legislation introduced to restore Puget Sound
- Water Groups Questions Potato Numbers
- Washington State high court hearing on Kittitas County wind farm appeal
- California utility looks to British Columbia for green power
- OREGON – Multnomah County's big solar roof project faces challenge
- CANADA – Waste-to-energy plans raise concerns in Metro Vancouver
- US Rep. Inslee Introduces Renewable Energy Pricing Legislation
- Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects
- UNITED KINGDOM – Renewable optimism – Thousands of turbines, millions of electric cars
- UNITED KINGDOM – Families facing an extra £260 ($517 US) on their annual energy bill to pay for £100bn ($198 bn US) green energy expansion
- New Hawaii law requires solar water heaters
- Energy storage coming to a power grid near you
- South Carolina passes ethanol law challenged by oil companies
- ALASKA – Despite lower prices, Juneau still conserving power
- CANADA – Carbon tax opposition heats up in rural British Columbia
- CANADA – Climate plan is a tough sell with soaring fuel prices
- North Pole May Be Ice-Free This Summer
- Still mail bills? Study says go green, go online
- Energy costs for data centers forecast to leap 13-fold by 2012
- Fast facts on data centers
- Microsoft Seeks Path Beyond the Gates Legacy
- Intuit cuts 575 jobs, or 7 percent of workforce, in reorganization
- TENNESSEE – Cable firms oppose JC Power Board’s proposed fiber-optic backbone
- VIRGINIA – Broadband in Nelson takes step forward
- Yahoo Reorganizes in Strategy Shift
- What’s Wrong With Yahoo?
- Comcast, Cox, Trot Out Their Worst 'Bandwidth Hogs'
- U.S. Broadband Cannot Be Fixed Until You Tackle Corruption
- Near-record temperatures this weekend in Washington
- In the Metal Recycling Business, It’s Loud, Dirty and Suddenly Lucrative
- OREGON – A Wave of Precious Metal Pilfering in Portland
- Community Says Farwell to Shelton Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione
- North Mason Hospital District Selects Superintendent
- Shocker – Long-Time Olympia prep sports' voice finds new on-air home
- Honeybee disappearances could get worse
- Mars Phoenix lander finds soil similar to that in backyards on Earth
- Hams will get serious this weekend
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Impuissant • \im-PWISS-unt\ • adjective – Weak, powerless
Try as he might, Dilton could not climb the rope all the way to the ceiling in sixth grade gym class. A couple of factors, including his impuissant physique, as well as a funny feeling “down there” caused him to quit before he was even four feet up the wildly gyrating length of hemp.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
US Supreme Court ruling helps Snohomish County PUD's case in contract dispute – Justices say federal regulators could have intervened in the case of a controversial electricity contract (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080627/NEWS01/805041912#Supreme.Court.ruling.helps.PUDs.case.in.contract.dispute
US Supreme Court Justices keep Snohomish County Public Utility District rate-contract fight alive (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008020296_pud27m.html
Extra water, wind strain Northwest power grid – The Northwest is awash in electric power this spring (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/06/extra_water_wind_strain_northw.html
Bonneville Power Administration removes major obstacle to Cosmopolis mill sale; Grays Harbor County PUD is pleased (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/06/26/local_news/02news.txt
Communities consider taking over PSE territory – Petitions call for local utility vote (Bill Virgin, Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/368591_pse27.html
Whidbey PUD backers say they are close to reaching petition goal (South Whidbey Record, Langley, WA)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/21804389.html
CALIFORNIA – Electricity deregulation – a poor choice for consumers (The Capitol Weekly, Sacramento, CA)
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_adctlid=v%7Cjq2q43wvsl855o%7Cx7u2b4a1xmoizx&issueId=x7thlm9cz68q4m&xid=x7ttedo2xmo2h1
MONTANA – City of Great Falls puts coal plant on back burner for 30 days – Grant County PUD expresses interest in some output (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/NEWS01/806270330/1002/news01
Inland Power mulls joining non-federal power pool to meet some of its future energy needs (Spokane Journal of Commerce, WA)
http://www.spokanejournal.com/spokane_id=article&sub=3641
MAN ACCUSED OF STEALING $7,500 IN POWER FROM GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY PUD – A 45-year-old Aberdeen man pleaded not guilty Monday to stealing more than $7,500 in electricity from the Grays Harbor PUD during the past four years. Douglas S. Hamilton is accused of first-degree defrauding a public utility after PUD employees at his home on April 24 discovered his power meter had been tampered with. “The meter base had been energized without the knowledge or authorization of the PUD,” court papers stated. “Representatives from the PUD estimate that in excess of 100,000 (kilowatt hours) were obtained without payment, having a value in excess of $7,500.” Court records stated the PUD disconnected the power to the rental residence in September 2004 when Hamilton failed to pay bills, but replacing breakers had allowed him and his girlfriend to continue receiving power. Investigators reported Hamilton agreed the power had been turned off in 2004 until he found one panel was still working. “The defendant acknowledged switching breakers out of the panel the PUD had turned off and in this way obtaining power,” court records stated. “The defendant acknowledged receiving power to the premises throughout the time period charged ... without notification or authorization of the PUD.” (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
FERC examines causes of, responses to rising electricity costs (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/display_article/332987/22/ARTCL/none/none/1/FERC-examines-causes-of,-responses-to-rising-electricity-costs/
NEW YORK – Union Says It and Con Edison Are Far Apart on Contract (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/nyregion/27coned.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Can Power Grid Be Hacked? — A smarter network doesn’t necessarily mean a safer network, or so goes the thinking when it comes to the new intelligent power grid (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/06/26/hacked-power-grid/
MASSACHUSETTS – Plan to let businesses pool energy purchases (The Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/27/plan_to_let_businesses_pool_energy_purchases/
Poll Reveals Surprising Support for Nuclear Power (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8553450
FISH & WILDLIFE
Hauling in their nets for good? U.S. fishing industry grapples with high fuel prices (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008020067_fishfuelprice27.html?syndication=rss
Anger surfaces at meeting on Oregon marine reserves (The Eugene Register Guard, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1461770~Anger_surfaces_at_meeting_on_Ore__marine_reserves.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Sea lions feasted on slightly fewer salmon at Bonneville Dam this year, but federal authorities figure human intervention had little to do with it (The Columbian, Vancouver, OR)http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/06/06272008_Sea-lions-feasted-on-slightly-fewer-salmon.cfm
Oregon Panel Approves Emergency Funds For Salmon Fishermen (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2440-panel-approves-emergency-funds-salmon-fishermen/
More Than a Million Salmon Released From Gorst Ponds (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jun/25/more-than-a-million-salmon-released-from-gorst/
CANADA – Salmon farms move to protect wild fish from sea lice (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=a4ed717a-51e6-4374-a532-c5b7bdbc5b9b
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Legislation introduced to restore Puget Sound – Bill would create an EPA office specifically for recovery efforts (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368586_pugetsound27.html
Water Groups Questions Potato Numbers (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4031
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Washington State high court hearing on Kittitas County wind farm appeal (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368677_windfarms27.html?source=rss
California utility looks to British Columbia for green power – Pacific Gas and Electric predicts the province will have a huge electricity surplus (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=5188fb47-e64f-49cb-8a17-02552ac5a3b2
OREGON – Multnomah County's big solar roof project faces challenge – Decision on Pacific Power's legal query due by end of July (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1214537118233820.xml&coll=7
CANADA – Waste-to-energy plans raise concerns in Metro Vancouver (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/06/24/bc-waste-to-energy-metro-vancouver.html?ref=rss
US Rep. Inslee Introduces Renewable Energy Pricing Legislation (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52899&src=rss
Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/us/27solar.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
UNITED KINGDOM – Renewable optimism – Thousands of turbines, millions of electric cars: a wind of change has swept through energy policy (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/26/renewableenergy.greenpolitics
UNITED KINGDOM – Families facing an extra £260 ($517 US) on their annual energy bill to pay for £100bn ($198 bn US) green energy expansion (The Daily Mail, UK)
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1029657/Taxpayers-face-utility-bills-hike-Government-unveils-100bn-renewable-energy-plan.html?ITO=1490
New Hawaii law requires solar water heaters (Pacific Business News, Honolulu, HI)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/06/23/daily46.html?ana=from_rss
Energy storage coming to a power grid near you (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9977209-54.html
South Carolina passes ethanol law challenged by oil companies – South Carolina fuel distributors must have access to pure gasoline needed to make their own ethanol blends under a law that supporters say is first in the nation and will save customers at the pump (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008019635_apethanolblending.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
ALASKA – Despite lower prices, Juneau still conserving power (The Juneau Empire, AK)
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/062708/loc_296264891.shtml
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Carbon tax opposition heats up in rural British Columbia (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/06/26/bc-carbon-tax-opposition-north.html
CANADA – Climate plan is a tough sell with soaring fuel prices (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=25722034-6e7e-43e2-83a3-d89153be486a&k=63970
North Pole May Be Ice-Free This Summer (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/North-Pole-May-Be-Ice-Free-This-Summer.html
Still mail bills? Study says go green, go online (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSPAR75042320080327
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Energy costs for data centers forecast to leap 13-fold by 2012 (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9716379?source=rss
Fast facts on data centers (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9716380?source=rss
Microsoft Seeks Path Beyond the Gates Legacy (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/technology/27soft.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214582559-1sgJIkiHWwRN55Rm7s3Lyg
Intuit cuts 575 jobs, or 7 percent of workforce, in reorganization (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9708382?source=rss
TENNESSEE – Cable firms oppose JC Power Board’s proposed fiber-optic backbone (Kingsport Times-News, TN)
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9006962
VIRGINIA – Broadband in Nelson takes step forward – Nelson officials are continuing to work to bring broadband Internet access to part of the county (The Nelson County Times, Amherst, VA)
http://www.nelsoncountytimes.com/nco/news/local/article/broadband_in_nelson_takes_step_forward/5877/
Yahoo Reorganizes in Strategy Shift (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/technology/27yahoo.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
What’s Wrong With Yahoo? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/06/26/whats-wrong-with-yahoo/
Comcast, Cox, Trot Out Their Worst 'Bandwidth Hogs' “…some subscribers have used in the 3-plus terabyte range. ‘They did nothing but download movies constantly’..." (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Cox-Trot-Out-Their-Worst-Bandwidth-Hogs-95623
U.S. Broadband Cannot Be Fixed Until You Tackle Corruption – Editorial: broadband cheerleading and Ivy League round tables aren't enough (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Broadband-Cannot-Be-Fixed-Until-You-Tackle-Corruption-95609
GENERAL NEWS
Near-record temperatures this weekend in Washington (The Associated Press, via the Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP06272008news333915.cfm
In the Metal Recycling Business, It’s Loud, Dirty and Suddenly Lucrative (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/nyregion/27scrap.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
OREGON – A Wave of Precious Metal Pilfering in Portland (The NY Times)
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/a-wave-of-precious-metal-pilfering/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Community Says Farwell to Shelton Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/349/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
North Mason Hospital District Selects Superintendent (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/350/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Shocker – Long-Time Olympia prep sports' voice finds new on-air home (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/143/story/490755.html
Honeybee disappearances could get worse, House panel told (McClatchy Newspapers, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/490077.html
Mars Phoenix lander finds soil similar to that in backyards on Earth (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9709042?source=rss
Hams will get serious this weekend – Amateur radio operators gather for emergency simulations (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368675_radio27.html?source=rss
ELEPHANTS ON ACID - DIVERSIONS
Washington dentist's staff saddles up to beat gas costs
http://www.examiner.com/a-1461684~Wash__dentist_s_staff_saddles_up_to_beat_gas_costs.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Va. bride gets beverage company to sponsor wedding
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008020693_apweddingauction.html?syndication=rss
Honk once for "I do" – The Church of Sweden will carry out drive-in weddings
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2631073520080626?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Manure thief falls into dung, flees naked
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080627/od_nm/manure_dc
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- US Supreme Court ruling helps Snohomish County PUD's case in contract dispute
- US Supreme Court Justices keep Snohomish County Public Utility District rate-contract fight alive
- Extra water, wind strain Northwest power grid – The Northwest is awash in electric power this spring
- Bonneville Power Administration removes major obstacle to Cosmopolis mill sale
- Communities consider taking over PSE territory
- Whidbey PUD backers say they are close to reaching petition goal
- CALIFORNIA – Electricity deregulation – a poor choice for consumers
- MONTANA – City of Great Falls puts coal plant on back burner for 30 days
- Inland Power mulls joining non-federal power pool to meet some of its future energy needs
- Man Accused Of Stealing $7,500 In Power From Grays Harbor County PUD
- FERC examines causes of, responses to rising electricity costs
- NEW YORK – Union Says It and Con Edison Are Far Apart on Contract
- Can Power Grid Be Hacked?
- MASSACHUSETTS – Plan to let businesses pool energy purchases
- Poll Reveals Surprising Support for Nuclear Power
- Hauling in their nets for good? U.S. fishing industry grapples with high fuel prices
- Anger surfaces at meeting on Oregon marine reserves
- Sea lions feasted on slightly fewer salmon at Bonneville Dam this year
- Oregon Panel Approves Emergency Funds For Salmon Fishermen
- More Than a Million Salmon Released From Gorst Ponds
- CANADA – Salmon farms move to protect wild fish from sea lice
- Legislation introduced to restore Puget Sound
- Water Groups Questions Potato Numbers
- Washington State high court hearing on Kittitas County wind farm appeal
- California utility looks to British Columbia for green power
- OREGON – Multnomah County's big solar roof project faces challenge
- CANADA – Waste-to-energy plans raise concerns in Metro Vancouver
- US Rep. Inslee Introduces Renewable Energy Pricing Legislation
- Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects
- UNITED KINGDOM – Renewable optimism – Thousands of turbines, millions of electric cars
- UNITED KINGDOM – Families facing an extra £260 ($517 US) on their annual energy bill to pay for £100bn ($198 bn US) green energy expansion
- New Hawaii law requires solar water heaters
- Energy storage coming to a power grid near you
- South Carolina passes ethanol law challenged by oil companies
- ALASKA – Despite lower prices, Juneau still conserving power
- CANADA – Carbon tax opposition heats up in rural British Columbia
- CANADA – Climate plan is a tough sell with soaring fuel prices
- North Pole May Be Ice-Free This Summer
- Still mail bills? Study says go green, go online
- Energy costs for data centers forecast to leap 13-fold by 2012
- Fast facts on data centers
- Microsoft Seeks Path Beyond the Gates Legacy
- Intuit cuts 575 jobs, or 7 percent of workforce, in reorganization
- TENNESSEE – Cable firms oppose JC Power Board’s proposed fiber-optic backbone
- VIRGINIA – Broadband in Nelson takes step forward
- Yahoo Reorganizes in Strategy Shift
- What’s Wrong With Yahoo?
- Comcast, Cox, Trot Out Their Worst 'Bandwidth Hogs'
- U.S. Broadband Cannot Be Fixed Until You Tackle Corruption
- Near-record temperatures this weekend in Washington
- In the Metal Recycling Business, It’s Loud, Dirty and Suddenly Lucrative
- OREGON – A Wave of Precious Metal Pilfering in Portland
- Community Says Farwell to Shelton Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione
- North Mason Hospital District Selects Superintendent
- Shocker – Long-Time Olympia prep sports' voice finds new on-air home
- Honeybee disappearances could get worse
- Mars Phoenix lander finds soil similar to that in backyards on Earth
- Hams will get serious this weekend
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Impuissant • \im-PWISS-unt\ • adjective – Weak, powerless
Try as he might, Dilton could not climb the rope all the way to the ceiling in sixth grade gym class. A couple of factors, including his impuissant physique, as well as a funny feeling “down there” caused him to quit before he was even four feet up the wildly gyrating length of hemp.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
US Supreme Court ruling helps Snohomish County PUD's case in contract dispute – Justices say federal regulators could have intervened in the case of a controversial electricity contract (The Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080627/NEWS01/805041912#Supreme.Court.ruling.helps.PUDs.case.in.contract.dispute
US Supreme Court Justices keep Snohomish County Public Utility District rate-contract fight alive (The Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008020296_pud27m.html
Extra water, wind strain Northwest power grid – The Northwest is awash in electric power this spring (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/06/extra_water_wind_strain_northw.html
Bonneville Power Administration removes major obstacle to Cosmopolis mill sale; Grays Harbor County PUD is pleased (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2008/06/26/local_news/02news.txt
Communities consider taking over PSE territory – Petitions call for local utility vote (Bill Virgin, Seattle Post Intelligencer Columnist)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/368591_pse27.html
Whidbey PUD backers say they are close to reaching petition goal (South Whidbey Record, Langley, WA)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/news/21804389.html
CALIFORNIA – Electricity deregulation – a poor choice for consumers (The Capitol Weekly, Sacramento, CA)
http://www.capitolweekly.net/article.php?_adctlid=v%7Cjq2q43wvsl855o%7Cx7u2b4a1xmoizx&issueId=x7thlm9cz68q4m&xid=x7ttedo2xmo2h1
MONTANA – City of Great Falls puts coal plant on back burner for 30 days – Grant County PUD expresses interest in some output (Great Falls Tribune, MT)
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080627/NEWS01/806270330/1002/news01
Inland Power mulls joining non-federal power pool to meet some of its future energy needs (Spokane Journal of Commerce, WA)
http://www.spokanejournal.com/spokane_id=article&sub=3641
MAN ACCUSED OF STEALING $7,500 IN POWER FROM GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY PUD – A 45-year-old Aberdeen man pleaded not guilty Monday to stealing more than $7,500 in electricity from the Grays Harbor PUD during the past four years. Douglas S. Hamilton is accused of first-degree defrauding a public utility after PUD employees at his home on April 24 discovered his power meter had been tampered with. “The meter base had been energized without the knowledge or authorization of the PUD,” court papers stated. “Representatives from the PUD estimate that in excess of 100,000 (kilowatt hours) were obtained without payment, having a value in excess of $7,500.” Court records stated the PUD disconnected the power to the rental residence in September 2004 when Hamilton failed to pay bills, but replacing breakers had allowed him and his girlfriend to continue receiving power. Investigators reported Hamilton agreed the power had been turned off in 2004 until he found one panel was still working. “The defendant acknowledged switching breakers out of the panel the PUD had turned off and in this way obtaining power,” court records stated. “The defendant acknowledged receiving power to the premises throughout the time period charged ... without notification or authorization of the PUD.” (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
FERC examines causes of, responses to rising electricity costs (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/display_article/332987/22/ARTCL/none/none/1/FERC-examines-causes-of,-responses-to-rising-electricity-costs/
NEW YORK – Union Says It and Con Edison Are Far Apart on Contract (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/nyregion/27coned.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Can Power Grid Be Hacked? — A smarter network doesn’t necessarily mean a safer network, or so goes the thinking when it comes to the new intelligent power grid (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/06/26/hacked-power-grid/
MASSACHUSETTS – Plan to let businesses pool energy purchases (The Boston Globe, MA)
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/06/27/plan_to_let_businesses_pool_energy_purchases/
Poll Reveals Surprising Support for Nuclear Power (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=8553450
FISH & WILDLIFE
Hauling in their nets for good? U.S. fishing industry grapples with high fuel prices (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008020067_fishfuelprice27.html?syndication=rss
Anger surfaces at meeting on Oregon marine reserves (The Eugene Register Guard, via Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1461770~Anger_surfaces_at_meeting_on_Ore__marine_reserves.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines
Sea lions feasted on slightly fewer salmon at Bonneville Dam this year, but federal authorities figure human intervention had little to do with it (The Columbian, Vancouver, OR)http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/06/06272008_Sea-lions-feasted-on-slightly-fewer-salmon.cfm
Oregon Panel Approves Emergency Funds For Salmon Fishermen (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/2440-panel-approves-emergency-funds-salmon-fishermen/
More Than a Million Salmon Released From Gorst Ponds (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/jun/25/more-than-a-million-salmon-released-from-gorst/
CANADA – Salmon farms move to protect wild fish from sea lice (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=a4ed717a-51e6-4374-a532-c5b7bdbc5b9b
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Legislation introduced to restore Puget Sound – Bill would create an EPA office specifically for recovery efforts (The Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368586_pugetsound27.html
Water Groups Questions Potato Numbers (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4031
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Washington State high court hearing on Kittitas County wind farm appeal (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368677_windfarms27.html?source=rss
California utility looks to British Columbia for green power – Pacific Gas and Electric predicts the province will have a huge electricity surplus (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=5188fb47-e64f-49cb-8a17-02552ac5a3b2
OREGON – Multnomah County's big solar roof project faces challenge – Decision on Pacific Power's legal query due by end of July (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1214537118233820.xml&coll=7
CANADA – Waste-to-energy plans raise concerns in Metro Vancouver (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/06/24/bc-waste-to-energy-metro-vancouver.html?ref=rss
US Rep. Inslee Introduces Renewable Energy Pricing Legislation (Renewable Energy World Online)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=52899&src=rss
Citing Need for Assessments, U.S. Freezes Solar Energy Projects (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/us/27solar.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
UNITED KINGDOM – Renewable optimism – Thousands of turbines, millions of electric cars: a wind of change has swept through energy policy (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/26/renewableenergy.greenpolitics
UNITED KINGDOM – Families facing an extra £260 ($517 US) on their annual energy bill to pay for £100bn ($198 bn US) green energy expansion (The Daily Mail, UK)
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1029657/Taxpayers-face-utility-bills-hike-Government-unveils-100bn-renewable-energy-plan.html?ITO=1490
New Hawaii law requires solar water heaters (Pacific Business News, Honolulu, HI)
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2008/06/23/daily46.html?ana=from_rss
Energy storage coming to a power grid near you (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9977209-54.html
South Carolina passes ethanol law challenged by oil companies – South Carolina fuel distributors must have access to pure gasoline needed to make their own ethanol blends under a law that supporters say is first in the nation and will save customers at the pump (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008019635_apethanolblending.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
ALASKA – Despite lower prices, Juneau still conserving power (The Juneau Empire, AK)
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/062708/loc_296264891.shtml
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
CANADA – Carbon tax opposition heats up in rural British Columbia (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/06/26/bc-carbon-tax-opposition-north.html
CANADA – Climate plan is a tough sell with soaring fuel prices (The Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/editorial/story.html?id=25722034-6e7e-43e2-83a3-d89153be486a&k=63970
North Pole May Be Ice-Free This Summer (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/May-June-08/North-Pole-May-Be-Ice-Free-This-Summer.html
Still mail bills? Study says go green, go online (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSPAR75042320080327
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Energy costs for data centers forecast to leap 13-fold by 2012 (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9716379?source=rss
Fast facts on data centers (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9716380?source=rss
Microsoft Seeks Path Beyond the Gates Legacy (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/technology/27soft.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1214582559-1sgJIkiHWwRN55Rm7s3Lyg
Intuit cuts 575 jobs, or 7 percent of workforce, in reorganization (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9708382?source=rss
TENNESSEE – Cable firms oppose JC Power Board’s proposed fiber-optic backbone (Kingsport Times-News, TN)
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9006962
VIRGINIA – Broadband in Nelson takes step forward – Nelson officials are continuing to work to bring broadband Internet access to part of the county (The Nelson County Times, Amherst, VA)
http://www.nelsoncountytimes.com/nco/news/local/article/broadband_in_nelson_takes_step_forward/5877/
Yahoo Reorganizes in Strategy Shift (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/technology/27yahoo.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin
What’s Wrong With Yahoo? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/06/26/whats-wrong-with-yahoo/
Comcast, Cox, Trot Out Their Worst 'Bandwidth Hogs' “…some subscribers have used in the 3-plus terabyte range. ‘They did nothing but download movies constantly’..." (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Cox-Trot-Out-Their-Worst-Bandwidth-Hogs-95623
U.S. Broadband Cannot Be Fixed Until You Tackle Corruption – Editorial: broadband cheerleading and Ivy League round tables aren't enough (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/US-Broadband-Cannot-Be-Fixed-Until-You-Tackle-Corruption-95609
GENERAL NEWS
Near-record temperatures this weekend in Washington (The Associated Press, via the Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://news.columbian.com/news/state/APStories/AP06272008news333915.cfm
In the Metal Recycling Business, It’s Loud, Dirty and Suddenly Lucrative (The NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/27/nyregion/27scrap.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
OREGON – A Wave of Precious Metal Pilfering in Portland (The NY Times)
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/26/a-wave-of-precious-metal-pilfering/index.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Community Says Farwell to Shelton Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/349/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
North Mason Hospital District Selects Superintendent (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/selectmoduleid/3468/ArticleID/350/reftab/1896/Default.aspx
Shocker – Long-Time Olympia prep sports' voice finds new on-air home (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/143/story/490755.html
Honeybee disappearances could get worse, House panel told (McClatchy Newspapers, via the Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/490077.html
Mars Phoenix lander finds soil similar to that in backyards on Earth (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9709042?source=rss
Hams will get serious this weekend – Amateur radio operators gather for emergency simulations (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, WA)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/368675_radio27.html?source=rss
ELEPHANTS ON ACID - DIVERSIONS
Washington dentist's staff saddles up to beat gas costs
http://www.examiner.com/a-1461684~Wash__dentist_s_staff_saddles_up_to_beat_gas_costs.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines
Va. bride gets beverage company to sponsor wedding
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008020693_apweddingauction.html?syndication=rss
Honk once for "I do" – The Church of Sweden will carry out drive-in weddings
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2631073520080626?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest
Manure thief falls into dung, flees naked
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080627/od_nm/manure_dc
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Energy News Digest for June 26, 2008
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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- U.S. Supreme Court rules against Snohomish PUD
- Jefferson County public power: Petitions arrive; study approved; talk set
- Port Townsend Leader Letters – PUD: service before profit
- Puget Energy merger: 'What's in it for me?'
- Seattle Times Opinion – More light at City Light
- Power Plant Sale Ends Lewis County Tax Fight
- DOE says natural gas supplies rose last week
- AUSTRALIA – Two shocks for electricity price
- “No Worries, Mate” – Oh, the Irony: FERC Chair Joe Kelliher in Sydney, Australia: Energy Competition And Regulation: The U.S. Experience”
- Duke Energy Ohio asks for electric delivery rate hike
- Go, fish! Yakamas hope to re-establish self-sustaining salmon runs in Yakima River Basin
- Angler's paradise: Chinook, Sockeye and Shad — oh my!
- Sockeye return in surprising numbers
- Ocean Coho season to open Sunday
- Jefferson County wastewater treatment to cost at least $50 million
- Wind Power Scouted On Lewis County Hilltops
- Delaware wind farm power project gets green light
- Kill Your Air Conditioner
- California unveils ambitious climate plan
- Environmentalists to sue EPA over park haze
- Grant County PUD eyes increase in wholesale fiber optic rates
- Proposed Grant County PUD fiber rates may stall sheriff's project
- Kirkland's new "Googleplex" unveiled to the public
- Internet panel explores sweeping new domain rules
- The new geek chic: Data centers
- Why Deploy Fiber To The Home When You Can Pretend You Do?
- Latinos and low-income residents fall behind in growing digital divide
- Summer finally evident in heat forecast this weekend
- Thieves target farm diesel supplies as prices soar
- Oregon Reviews Response to Winter Storms
- CANADA – Wire thieves halt railway freight service on Vancouver Island
- Washington 28th in amount of taxes paid among states
- Olympia woman sentenced in "Nigerian check scam"
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Nocebo • \\noh-SEE-boh\ • noun – A harmless substance that when taken by a patient is associated with harmful effects due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient
Eyore’s trembling hoof reached for the unlabeled pill. He had expected the drug trial to include the REAL remedy and a placebo, either of which he thought would make him feel, or at least THINK he felt better. What he didn’t expect was the likelihood of a third option: a nacebo, which would actually make him think he felt worse. “Woe is me,” whined the downcast donkey.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
U.S. Supreme Court rules against Snohomish PUD (Associated Press, via KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=8559585&nav=menu227_7
Here’s the ruling from the Supreme Court in Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc. v. Public Util. Dist. No. 1 of Snohomish County (SCOTUS – Links to PDF File)
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/06-1457.pdf
Jefferson County public power: Petitions arrive; study approved; talk set – It's likely that the question of whether Jefferson County's power system should be public or private will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot (Port Townsend Leader, Port Townsend, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=21226&TM=58028.7
Port Townsend Leader Letters – PUD: service before profit (Port Townsend, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=21240&TM=53877.66
Puget Energy merger: 'What's in it for me?' (Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist, Bill Virgin)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/368376_virgin26.html?source=rss
Seattle Times Opinion – More light at City Light – The Seattle City Council's recent confirmation of the City Light superintendent seemed interminable at times, but in the end, a unanimous vote puts a solid check mark on the performance of Jorge Carrasco (Seattle, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008017532_confirmed26.html
POWER PLANT SALE ENDS LEWIS COUNTY TAX FIGHT – Lewis County is claiming victory in a $6.5 million tax battle with Chehalis Power. The owners of the natural gas fired plant south of Chehalis had challenged the tax assessments. Lewis County Assessor, Dianne Dorey, reports the court fight was dropped was after the announcement of the plant’s sale to Pacific Corp. (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
DOE says natural gas supplies rose last week (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080626/natural_gas_storage.html?.v=1
AUSTRALIA – Two shocks for electricity price (Sydney Morning Herald)
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/two-shocks-for-electricity-price/2008/06/26/1214472673419.html
“No Worries, Mate” – Oh, the Irony: FERC Chair Joe Kelliher in Sydney, Australia: Energy Competition And Regulation: The U.S. Experience” “…U.S. experience: competition policy has been a success – assured security of electricity and gas supply at reasonable cost for 25 years…” (Links to PDF File – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/Files/20080626085138-australia-6-26-08.pdf
Duke Energy Ohio asks for electric delivery rate hike (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/06/23/daily31.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Go, fish! Yakamas hope to re-establish self-sustaining salmon runs in Yakima River Basin (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/5215
Angler's paradise: Chinook, Sockeye and Shad — oh my! (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2008017841_fish26.html
Sockeye return in surprising numbers (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/06/06262008_Sockeye-return-in-surprising-numbers.cfm/
Ocean Coho season to open Sunday (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/06/06262008_Ocean-coho-season-to-open-Sunday.cfm/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Jefferson County wastewater teatment related to Tri-Area sewer project to cost at least $50 million (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080626/NEWS/806260303
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
WIND POWER SCOUTED ON LEWIS COUNTY HILLTOPS – Lewis County ’s hilltops are being scouted by companies for possible wind farms. An east coast based firm is now working to place test equipment on Weyerhaeuser land near Pe Ell, and Morton. Everpower Renewables says they generally use wind turbines that are 260-feet high. The turbines could be stationed on logged off hilltops. The company says they have agreements with landowners in several Southwest Washington counties including Grays Harbor, and Pacific. (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Delaware wind farm power project gets green light – Legislation to allow an offshore wind farm breezed through the Delaware legislature Wednesday and was quickly signed into law (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008017870_apwindpower.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Kill Your Air Conditioner (Time Magazine)
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1818028,00.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
California unveils ambitious climate plan (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080626/ts_nm/california_climate_dc_3
Environmentalists to sue EPA over park haze – Environmentalists took steps on Wednesday to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to compel states to clean up the haze plaguing the nation's parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008017458_apepaparkhaze.html?syndication=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County PUD eyes increase in wholesale fiber optic rates (The Star of Grand Coulee, Coulee City. WA)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1013&dept_id=387713&newsid=19802493&PAG=461&rfi=9
Proposed Grant County PUD fiber rates may stall sheriff's project (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/06/25/news/news04.txt
Kirkland's new "Googleplex" unveiled to the public (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008017965_google26m.html?syndication=rss
Internet panel explores sweeping new domain rules (The Associated Press, via the San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9697908?source=rss
The new geek chic: Data centers (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13953_3-9977049-80.html
Why Deploy Fiber To The Home When You Can Pretend You Do? Cable operators pretend that having fiber in a network is the same as FTTH (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Why-Deploy-Fiber-To-The-Home-When-You-Can-Pretend-You-Do-95578?nocomment=1
Latinos and low-income residents fall behind in growing digital divide (Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, CA)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_9695591?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Summer finally evident in heat forecast this weekend (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/489418.html
Thieves target farm diesel supplies as prices soar (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008018387_apfarmscenedieseltheft.html?syndication=rss
Oregon Reviews Response to Winter Storms (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4022
CANADA – Wire thieves halt railway freight service on Vancouver Island – Electrical cables were stripped from both locomotives in Nanaimo (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=1ed5536d-2381-49cf-a2ec-5d59e9843a37
Washington 28th in amount of taxes paid among states – Number 1 taxer: Wyoming (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/bizbeat/story/221214.html
Olympia woman sentenced in "Nigerian check scam" (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008018089_fedbankscam26m.html?syndication=rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Pigeon hernias – Drugs, phones wing their way to prisoners
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2537507920080625?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Pigeons and PETA Pose Problems for Wimbledon
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/sports/May-June-08/Pigeons-and-PETA-Pose-Problems-for-Wimbledon.html
Police: Boy, 7, Drove Grandma's Car to Mall – Motorist Follows Boy, Takes Keys Away
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16707040/detail.html
Teen Averages 15,000 Text Messages A Month – Texting May Be Reason For Cell Phone's Damage
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16706346/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
- U.S. Supreme Court rules against Snohomish PUD
- Jefferson County public power: Petitions arrive; study approved; talk set
- Port Townsend Leader Letters – PUD: service before profit
- Puget Energy merger: 'What's in it for me?'
- Seattle Times Opinion – More light at City Light
- Power Plant Sale Ends Lewis County Tax Fight
- DOE says natural gas supplies rose last week
- AUSTRALIA – Two shocks for electricity price
- “No Worries, Mate” – Oh, the Irony: FERC Chair Joe Kelliher in Sydney, Australia: Energy Competition And Regulation: The U.S. Experience”
- Duke Energy Ohio asks for electric delivery rate hike
- Go, fish! Yakamas hope to re-establish self-sustaining salmon runs in Yakima River Basin
- Angler's paradise: Chinook, Sockeye and Shad — oh my!
- Sockeye return in surprising numbers
- Ocean Coho season to open Sunday
- Jefferson County wastewater treatment to cost at least $50 million
- Wind Power Scouted On Lewis County Hilltops
- Delaware wind farm power project gets green light
- Kill Your Air Conditioner
- California unveils ambitious climate plan
- Environmentalists to sue EPA over park haze
- Grant County PUD eyes increase in wholesale fiber optic rates
- Proposed Grant County PUD fiber rates may stall sheriff's project
- Kirkland's new "Googleplex" unveiled to the public
- Internet panel explores sweeping new domain rules
- The new geek chic: Data centers
- Why Deploy Fiber To The Home When You Can Pretend You Do?
- Latinos and low-income residents fall behind in growing digital divide
- Summer finally evident in heat forecast this weekend
- Thieves target farm diesel supplies as prices soar
- Oregon Reviews Response to Winter Storms
- CANADA – Wire thieves halt railway freight service on Vancouver Island
- Washington 28th in amount of taxes paid among states
- Olympia woman sentenced in "Nigerian check scam"
These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest
WORD OF THE DAY
Nocebo • \\noh-SEE-boh\ • noun – A harmless substance that when taken by a patient is associated with harmful effects due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient
Eyore’s trembling hoof reached for the unlabeled pill. He had expected the drug trial to include the REAL remedy and a placebo, either of which he thought would make him feel, or at least THINK he felt better. What he didn’t expect was the likelihood of a third option: a nacebo, which would actually make him think he felt worse. “Woe is me,” whined the downcast donkey.
WEATHER
Forecast for Mason County, Washington
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?site=sew&smap=1&textField1=47.21528&textField2=-123.09944
(NOTE: Some readers have noted that the NWS forecast has not been updated regularly. Apparently there is a refresh issue with the weather web site. If you visit and the forecast isn’t updated, press F5 or refresh the web page. That should take care of the issue)
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
U.S. Supreme Court rules against Snohomish PUD (Associated Press, via KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT)
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=8559585&nav=menu227_7
Here’s the ruling from the Supreme Court in Morgan Stanley Capital Group Inc. v. Public Util. Dist. No. 1 of Snohomish County (SCOTUS – Links to PDF File)
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/06-1457.pdf
Jefferson County public power: Petitions arrive; study approved; talk set – It's likely that the question of whether Jefferson County's power system should be public or private will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot (Port Townsend Leader, Port Townsend, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=36&SubSectionID=55&ArticleID=21226&TM=58028.7
Port Townsend Leader Letters – PUD: service before profit (Port Townsend, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/main.asp?SectionID=5&SubSectionID=5&ArticleID=21240&TM=53877.66
Puget Energy merger: 'What's in it for me?' (Seattle Post-Intelligencer Columnist, Bill Virgin)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/virgin/368376_virgin26.html?source=rss
Seattle Times Opinion – More light at City Light – The Seattle City Council's recent confirmation of the City Light superintendent seemed interminable at times, but in the end, a unanimous vote puts a solid check mark on the performance of Jorge Carrasco (Seattle, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008017532_confirmed26.html
POWER PLANT SALE ENDS LEWIS COUNTY TAX FIGHT – Lewis County is claiming victory in a $6.5 million tax battle with Chehalis Power. The owners of the natural gas fired plant south of Chehalis had challenged the tax assessments. Lewis County Assessor, Dianne Dorey, reports the court fight was dropped was after the announcement of the plant’s sale to Pacific Corp. (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
DOE says natural gas supplies rose last week (The Associated Press)
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080626/natural_gas_storage.html?.v=1
AUSTRALIA – Two shocks for electricity price (Sydney Morning Herald)
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/two-shocks-for-electricity-price/2008/06/26/1214472673419.html
“No Worries, Mate” – Oh, the Irony: FERC Chair Joe Kelliher in Sydney, Australia: Energy Competition And Regulation: The U.S. Experience” “…U.S. experience: competition policy has been a success – assured security of electricity and gas supply at reasonable cost for 25 years…” (Links to PDF File – Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)
http://www.ferc.gov/EventCalendar/Files/20080626085138-australia-6-26-08.pdf
Duke Energy Ohio asks for electric delivery rate hike (Business Courier of Cincinnati)
http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/2008/06/23/daily31.html?ana=from_rss
FISH & WILDLIFE
Go, fish! Yakamas hope to re-establish self-sustaining salmon runs in Yakima River Basin (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
http://www.yakimaherald.com/stories/5215
Angler's paradise: Chinook, Sockeye and Shad — oh my! (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2008017841_fish26.html
Sockeye return in surprising numbers (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/06/06262008_Sockeye-return-in-surprising-numbers.cfm/
Ocean Coho season to open Sunday (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://www.columbian.com/sports/localNews/2008/06/06262008_Ocean-coho-season-to-open-Sunday.cfm/
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Jefferson County wastewater teatment related to Tri-Area sewer project to cost at least $50 million (The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20080626/NEWS/806260303
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
WIND POWER SCOUTED ON LEWIS COUNTY HILLTOPS – Lewis County ’s hilltops are being scouted by companies for possible wind farms. An east coast based firm is now working to place test equipment on Weyerhaeuser land near Pe Ell, and Morton. Everpower Renewables says they generally use wind turbines that are 260-feet high. The turbines could be stationed on logged off hilltops. The company says they have agreements with landowners in several Southwest Washington counties including Grays Harbor, and Pacific. (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)
Delaware wind farm power project gets green light – Legislation to allow an offshore wind farm breezed through the Delaware legislature Wednesday and was quickly signed into law (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008017870_apwindpower.html?syndication=rss
CONSERVATION
Kill Your Air Conditioner (Time Magazine)
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1818028,00.html
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
California unveils ambitious climate plan (Reuters)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080626/ts_nm/california_climate_dc_3
Environmentalists to sue EPA over park haze – Environmentalists took steps on Wednesday to sue the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to compel states to clean up the haze plaguing the nation's parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008017458_apepaparkhaze.html?syndication=rss
TELECOMMUNICATIONS & TECHNOLOGY
Grant County PUD eyes increase in wholesale fiber optic rates (The Star of Grand Coulee, Coulee City. WA)
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1013&dept_id=387713&newsid=19802493&PAG=461&rfi=9
Proposed Grant County PUD fiber rates may stall sheriff's project (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/06/25/news/news04.txt
Kirkland's new "Googleplex" unveiled to the public (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008017965_google26m.html?syndication=rss
Internet panel explores sweeping new domain rules (The Associated Press, via the San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9697908?source=rss
The new geek chic: Data centers (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13953_3-9977049-80.html
Why Deploy Fiber To The Home When You Can Pretend You Do? Cable operators pretend that having fiber in a network is the same as FTTH (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Why-Deploy-Fiber-To-The-Home-When-You-Can-Pretend-You-Do-95578?nocomment=1
Latinos and low-income residents fall behind in growing digital divide (Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, CA)
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_9695591?source=rss
GENERAL NEWS
Summer finally evident in heat forecast this weekend (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/489418.html
Thieves target farm diesel supplies as prices soar (The Associated Press, via the Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008018387_apfarmscenedieseltheft.html?syndication=rss
Oregon Reviews Response to Winter Storms (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4022
CANADA – Wire thieves halt railway freight service on Vancouver Island – Electrical cables were stripped from both locomotives in Nanaimo (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)
http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=1ed5536d-2381-49cf-a2ec-5d59e9843a37
Washington 28th in amount of taxes paid among states – Number 1 taxer: Wyoming (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/bizbeat/story/221214.html
Olympia woman sentenced in "Nigerian check scam" (Seattle Times, WA)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008018089_fedbankscam26m.html?syndication=rss
ALLIGATORS IN THE SEWER - DIVERSIONS
Pigeon hernias – Drugs, phones wing their way to prisoners
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSN2537507920080625?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews
Pigeons and PETA Pose Problems for Wimbledon
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/sports/May-June-08/Pigeons-and-PETA-Pose-Problems-for-Wimbledon.html
Police: Boy, 7, Drove Grandma's Car to Mall – Motorist Follows Boy, Takes Keys Away
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/16707040/detail.html
Teen Averages 15,000 Text Messages A Month – Texting May Be Reason For Cell Phone's Damage
http://www.kirotv.com/family/16706346/detail.html?rss=sea&psp=irresistible
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