Energy News Digest for January 5, 2009

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- BPA Decision on Smelter Contracts Expected This Month
- New Mason County PUD No. 3 Commissioner to be sworn In Tuesday
- Clallam PUD-Puget Sound Energy Agreement Keeps Lights On In Port Townsend
- Oregonian Op/Ed - Our Energy Future: What is noble enough?
- Why “Cheap” Energy Is Really Costly In the Long Run
- Squirrel Causes Afternoon Outage in Boise
- There May Be Better Days Ahead For Salmon Runs
- Army Corps of Engineers Will Kill More Cormorants in Salmon Study
- California - Coho Salmon Are Bred For Diversity, Strength
- California Fishermen's Struggles Worsen
- Alaska Fisheries Had Their Challenges
- Group Uses Lawsuits To Help Clean Up Puget Sound
- Washington Post Editorial - Failure on the Chesapeake Bay
- Our Ocean Backyard: Ocean Energy from Warm Water and Wind?
- Ecology Department Uses Online Campaign to Help Water Quality
- Congressional Research Service - Water Infrastructure Needs and Investment
- Researchers Focus On Bringing Missing Bees Back
- Tacoma Pulp Plant to Generate Power, Too
- Oregon Is Exceptionally Generous with Green-Energy Subsidies
- Solar-Power Industry Remains Hot In California
- Missourians Wanting To Power Their Own Homes Are Finding It Difficult
- Winters Farm Makes Green Fuel By Burning Walnut Shells
- In Blue Economy, Green Jobs Are In Play
- Flat-screen TVs to face energy-efficiency rules in California
- What to Do with All That Carbon
- Carbon Offsets in the Air in San Francisco
- Why Obama's Green Jobs Plan Might Work
- Congressional Research Service - Global Climate Change: Three Policy Perspectives
- East Jefferson, Forks-Area Cable TV Provider Files For Bankruptcy Protection
- Superfast Wimax Comes To Portland
- Teen's Startup Promises Fast Internet Speeds
- Microsoft's Browser Sees Notable Decline in Usage
- Comcast Mum on New Bandwidth Tracker
- Bring in the COWS - Inauguration Spotlights Cell Phone Opportunities
- New Age UK town says Wi-Fi is making them sick
- Olympia Mayor Asks That Council Limit E-Mail Discussions during Meetings
- Rep. Bill Grant Succumbs to Cancer
- Despite Law, Drivers Still Talking And Talking And Talking
- Oregon Looks At Taxing Mileage Instead Of Gasoline

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Elysian • \ih-LIZH-un\ • adjective - Blissful, delightful

In the midst of the contentious meeting over jackstraw game quotas, Ambrose took an unexpected mental trip to his “happy place.” The Elysian retreat was made only slightly less enjoyable by the fact that the incessant chatter of his staff kept intruding in the form of large, swooping crows. “At least they haven’t been gorging themselves on blackberries,” Ambrose thought, dreamily. “That would create quite a mess on my white linen suit…”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Monday Update: BPA Decision on Smelter Contracts Expected This Month (Will they, or won’t they…let’s start a pool! The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/01/05/area_news/doc4961bcb835a3a443426880.txt

New Mason County PUD No. 3 Commissioner to be Sworn In Tuesday (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6000/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Clallam PUD-Puget Sound Energy Agreement Keeps Lights On In Port Townsend (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090105/news/301059996

Oregonian Op/Ed - Our Energy Future: What is noble enough?
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2009/01/our_energy_future_what_is_nobl.html

Why “Cheap” Energy Is Really Costly In the Long Run (ZDNet)
http://blogs.zdnet.com/green/?p=1619

Squirrel Causes Afternoon Outage in Boise (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/714871.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

There May Be Better Days Ahead For Salmon Runs - With forces aligning in favor of salmon returns, now would be a good time for commercial and sport anglers to compromise Idaho Statesman)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/110/story/621067.html

Army Corps of Engineers Will Kill More Cormorants In Salmon Study (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/715613.html

California - Coho Salmon Are Bred For Diversity, Strength (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/02/MNKJ14QS3D.DTL&feed=rss.news

California Fishermen's Struggles Worsen (Associated Press)
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/heraldnews/business/1360967,4_3_JO04_FISH_S1.article

Alaska Fisheries Had Their Challenges (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
http://www.adn.com/money/industries/fishing/story/641996.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Group Uses Lawsuits To Help Clean Up Puget Sound - Citizens take aggressive stand against pollution (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/394707_soundsuits05.html?source=rss

Washington Post Editorial - Failure on the Chesapeake Bay: The cleanup effort will need political courage if it's ever to succeed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/02/AR2009010202087.html?nav=rss_opinions

Our Ocean Backyard: Ocean Energy from Warm Water and Wind? (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_11365370?nclick_check=1

Ecology Department Uses Online Campaign to Help Water Quality (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008590180_pollutionwebsite05m.html?syndication=rss

Congressional Research Service - Water Infrastructure Needs and Investment: Review and Analysis of Key Issues
http://opencrs.com/document/RL31116

Researchers Focus On Bringing Missing Bees Back - Scientists in the field and the lab are trying to solve a mystery critical to the future of American agriculture: Why are honeybee hives failing at a disturbingly high rate? (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008590495_apfarmscenebringingbeesback.html?syndication=rss

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Tacoma Pulp Plant to Generate Power, Too - $90M biomass project to squeeze energy out of Simpson Tacoma wood waste (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/01/05/story5.html?ana=from_rss

Oregon Is Exceptionally Generous with Green-Energy Subsidies “…money is going to risky ventures with questionable environmental benefits and to prosperous companies that need no incentives but are cashing in anyway…” (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/01/oregon_is_exceptionally_genero.html

Solar-Power Industry Remains Hot In California (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11358068?nclick_check=1

Missourians Wanting To Power Their Own Homes Are Finding It Difficult (Kansas City Star, MO)
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/962821.html

Winters Farm Makes Green Fuel By Burning Walnut Shells - Dixon Ridge Farms wants to produce all of its energy on-site by 2012 (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/01/05/story7.html?ana=from_rss

In Blue Economy, Green Jobs Are In Play (Dallas Morning News, TX)
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/010409dnnatgreenjobs.2124064.html

Flat-screen TVs to face energy-efficiency rules in California (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-fi-tv3-2009jan03,0,1059107.story

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

What to Do with All That Carbon - We need a global technology center to find ways of capturing and burying greenhouse gases (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/177445?from=rss

Carbon Offsets in the Air in San Francisco (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/offsets-in-the-air-in-san-francisco/

Why Obama's Green Jobs Plan Might Work (Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fi-greenjobs4-2009jan04,0,6373295.story

Congressional Research Service - Global Climate Change: Three Policy Perspectives
http://opencrs.com/document/98-738

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

East Jefferson, Forks-Area Cable TV Provider Files For Bankruptcy Protection (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20090104/NEWS/301049997

Superfast Wimax Comes To Portland (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/01/superfast_wimax_comes_to_portl.html

Teen's Startup Promises Fast Internet Speeds (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/584444.html

Microsoft's Browser Sees Notable Decline in Usage (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11359122

Comcast Mum on New Bandwidth Tracker (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Comcast-Mum-On-New-Bandwidth-Tracker-99980

Bring in the COWS - Inauguration Spotlights Cell Phone Opportunities (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/04/AR2009010401330.html?wprss=rss_business

Wi-Fi, Like, Totally Messes with My Chakras - New Age UK town says Wi-Fi is making them sick (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/WiFi-Like-Totally-Messes-With-My-Chakras-99990

GENERAL NEWS

Olympia Mayor Asks That Council Limit E-Mail Discussions - Review shows members writing about issues during meetings (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/716442.html

Rep. Bill Grant Succumbs to Cancer (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/01/04/local_news/090104arepbillgrantdeath.txt

Drivers Still Talking And Talking And Talking - Is new state law restricting cell phone use behind the wheel having any effect? (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/584909.html

Oregon Looks At Taxing Mileage Instead Of Gasoline (The Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008583644_apmileagetax.html

DIVERSIONS

Swedish Town Using Cremation Heat to Warm Houses
http://gizmodo.com/5121450/swedish-town-using-cremation-heat-to-warm-houses

Portland Loo Freezes Up During Snowstorm (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_010409ORN_portland_restroom_freezes_SW.3ad6d646.html

Economic Trends: Boo the Bankers and Lose the Spouse
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090101/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_financial_times;_ylt=Al5rcouoDf61ldwqAgmHMd_tiBIF

Sarah Palin Most Desirable Celebrity Neighbor
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081230/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_neighbors;_ylt=AnVgFbA5nKukwBS_YeTqOtztiBIF

Energy News Digest for January 2, 2009

All the links in today’s news digest lead to current stories. Please note that some media organizations update their web sites regularly, which may result in broken links in the future.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- State Approves Puget Energy Purchase by Foreign Group
- Approval of PSE Sale Not Seen As Affecting Jefferson PUD Power Study
- Montana - Result of BPA Suit: $17 Million Loss to Columbia Falls Aluminum
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Spends New Year's Day Restoring Power
- Mason County PUD 1 Approves 2009 Budgets
- Feds approve gas drilling plan for Montana
- Montana - Energy development, conservation hot topics for 2009 Legislature
- Areva seeks license to build Idaho uranium plant
- Boston Globe Editorial - The power of municipal power
- Boston Globe Op/Ed - Storm's aftermath underscores value of municipal utilities
- Tennessee - Improving Oversight Of Coal Ash Retention Ponds
- Utah - Battle over coal-fired plant rages on
- Utilities Offer ‘Green’ Nuclear Plans to Customers
- California - Pacific Gas and Electric Hands over Rulebook on Handling Reported Gas leaks
- Portland General Electric Workers Scramble To Save Hatchery Salmon From Suffocation
- S.F. Chronicle Op/Ed - Agreement to take down Klamath dams?
- Panel to Review Chinook Plans at Olympia Meetings
- Loaded Headline Theater - Power Plant Has No Plans to Stop Killing Fish
- California - Sea Lions along Sacramento River Blamed For Salmon Decline
- California - Sea Lion Barrier Broken, Coast Guard Closes Pier
- Researcher Says Jell-O May Eliminate Yellowstone Lake Trout
- Oregonians Foresee Future Water Shortages
- Idaho Power Asks to Keep Renewable Energy Credits
- Green Projects Hit Snags in Idaho
- 'A Social Service, Green Energy Financed By Tax Credits'
- Renewable Energy Flood-Control Dams Eyed For Energy Potential
- How Underground ‘Hot Rocks’ Could Power America’s Future
- Lending woes push alternative energy to back burner
- Maryland Utilities To Add Conservation Fees
- Wind Association's wind power trends to watch for in 2009
- Coke’s Wind-Powered Billboard Reveals Push for Eco-Friendly Advertising
- Clallam County Set To Get Final "Green" Plan
- Canada’s carbon tax conundrum
- Climate Change - We’re In for Stormy Weather
- How Carbon Neutral Is Dell, Really?
- CRIME: Vandals to Blame for Internet Outage
- Shots Damage BPA Fiber Optic Line and Disrupt Service
- 'Clear' Launches in Portland Next Week
- Qwest Ordered to Restore New Mexico Services to SkyWi
- Researchers Hack Internet Security Infrastructure
- Time Warner Still Pretending Core, Last Mile Fiber The Same
- On The Shelf: "Mommy, Why is There a Server in the House?"
- State Buys Store, Land Near Belfair State Park

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Frigorific • \frig-uh-RIFF-ik\ • adjective - Causing cold: chilling

“This frigorific weather is unbearable,” grunted the all-electric home customer during a short outage. “Let’s turn up the heat to full blast so the house warms up quickly when the lights come back on,” the bright-bulbed visitor from warmer climates exclaimed.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

State Approves Puget Energy Purchase by Foreign Group - 'Creates Too Much Risk,' Dissenter Says (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/394208_puget31.html

Regulatory Approval of PSE Sale Not Seen As Affecting Jefferson PUD Power Study (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081231/news/312319994

Montana - Result of BPA Suit: $17 Million Loss to Columbia Falls Aluminum: A multi-tiered federal lawsuit had a poison pill; effectively ceased a $17 million annual payment from the Bonneville Power Administration (Hungry Horse News, MT)
http://www.flatheadnewsgroup.com/articles/2007/10/31/hungryhorsenews/news/doc495a917271612274787880.txt

Mason County PUD No. 3 Spends New Year's Day Restoring Power (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/5976/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Mason County PUD 1 Approves 2009 Budgets (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/5964/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Feds approve gas drilling plan for Montana (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1769983~Feds_approve_gas_drilling_plan_for_Montana.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

Montana - Energy development, conservation hot topics for 2009 Legislature
http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2008/12/30/state/hjjbihhahgjhei.txt

Areva seeks license to build Idaho uranium plant (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/713281.html

Boston Globe Editorial - The power of municipal power
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/12/29/the_power_of_municipal_power/

Boston Globe Op/Ed - Storm's aftermath underscores value of municipal utilities
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/letters/articles/2009/01/02/storms_aftermath_underscores_value_of_municipal_utilities/

Tennessee - Improving Oversight Of Coal Ash Retention Ponds (Associated Press)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/us/01brfs-004.html

Utah - Battle over coal-fired plant rages on (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_11347400

Utilities Offer ‘Green’ Nuclear Plans to Customers (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/utilities-offer-green-nuclear-plans-to-customers/

California - Pacific Gas and Electric Hands over Rulebook on Handling Reported Gas leaks - The utility refuses to make it public (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1510405.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Portland General Electric Workers Scramble To Save Hatchery Salmon From Suffocation - Last week's snow threatened a pump keeping 900,000 spring Chinook alive (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1230776725287610.xml&coll=7

S.F. Chronicle Op/Ed - Agreement to take down Klamath dams? Not likely
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/31/EDRV150MGT.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

Panel to Review Chinook Plans at Olympia Meetings (The Daily News, Longview, WA)
http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/01/02/this_day/doc495d6576f2f1d999218104.txt

Loaded Headline Theater - Power Plant Has No Plans to Stop Killing Fish (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/01/BAAS151F1U.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

California - Sea Lions along Sacramento River Blamed For Salmon Decline (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1511636.html

California - Sea Lion Barrier Broken, Coast Guard Closes Pier (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11347519

Researcher Says Jell-O May Eliminate Yellowstone Lake Trout (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1766982~Researcher_says_Jell_O_may_eliminate_lake_trout.html?cid=rss-Montana_Headlines

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Oregonians Foresee Future Water Shortages (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/12/oregonians_foresee_future_wate.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Idaho Power Asks to Keep Renewable Energy Credits – Fears loss from potential renewable portfolio standards mandate (Northwest Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4795

Green Projects Hit Snags in Idaho - Concerns about wildlife habitat, aesthetics and competing interests have hindered a number of alternative energy proposals (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/620216.html

'A Social Service, Green Energy Financed By Tax Credits' - Washington leads the way and wind offers some fresh hope as utilities move to renewable (Daily Astorian, OR)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/Main.asp?SectionID=184&ArticleID=57102

Renewable Energy Flood-Control Dams Eyed For Energy Potential - Dozens of Government Sites Studied For Hydro-Electric Retrofits (MSNBC)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28421520/

How Underground ‘Hot Rocks’ Could Power America’s Future (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2008/12/31/how-underground-hot-rocks-could-power-america’s-future/

Lending woes push alternative energy to back burner (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6190611.html

Maryland Utilities To Add Conservation Fees - Regulators OK plan to subsidize initiative aimed at reducing energy use (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.energy01jan01,0,5547582.story

American Wind Energy Association's wind power trends to watch for in 2009 (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=349003&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Coke’s Wind-Powered Billboard Reveals Push for Eco-Friendly Advertising (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2008/December/Coke-s-Wind-Powered-Billboard-Reveals-Push-for-Eco-Friendly-Advertising-.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Clallam County Set To Get Final "Green" Plan (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.konp.com/local/4277

Canada’s carbon tax conundrum - A key question in the coming provincial election will be whether the downturn will overshadow - or reignite - anger over the Liberal government's controversial measure (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090102.BCYEARENDERCARBON02/TPStory/TPNational/BritishColumbia

We’re In for Stormy Weather - Overshadowed by the economic headlines, serious climate trouble looms ahead (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/177224?from=rss

How Carbon Neutral Is Dell, Really? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/12/30/how-carbon-neutral-is-dell-really/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

CRIME: Vandals To Blame For Internet Outage (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/431367.html

News Release – Shots Damage BPA Fiber Optic Line and Disrupt Service (Bonneville Power Administration)
http://www.piersystem.com/go/doc/1582/246639/

'Clear' Launches in Portland Next Week - Customers getting an early look at speed, pricing (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Clear-Launches-In-Portland-Next-Week-99956

Qwest Ordered to Restore Services to SkyWi - New Mexico regulators step in to tackle $1.7 million dispute (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Qwest-Ordered-To-Restore-Services-To-SkyWi-99970

Researchers Hack Internet Security Infrastructure - International Team Discovers Way to Mimic Digital Identity (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/30/AR2008123001056.html?wprss=rss_technology

Time Warner Still Pretending Core, Last Mile Fiber The Same (Broadband Reports)
http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/Time-Warner-Still-Pretending-Core-Last-Mile-Fiber-The-Same-99948

On The Shelf: "Mommy, Why is There a Server in the House?" (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/microsoft/archives/157973.asp

GENERAL NEWS

State Buys Store, Land Near Belfair State Park (The Kitsap Sun)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/dec/30/state-buys-store-near-belfair-park/?partner=RSS

DIVERSIONS

Annual 'Banished Words' List Unveiled - Language Critics Cast Out 'Bailout,' 'Maverick' From Lexicon
http://www.kirotv.com/education/18387382/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_nots&tmi=sea_nots_-1_01000112312008&ts=H

Man Says He Shot Car with Paintballs to Deter DUI
http://www.examiner.com/a-1771792~Man_says_he_shot_car_with_paintballs_to_deter_DUI.html?cid=rss-Washington_Headlines

Popular Photo Frames Carry Risk of Computer Virus Infection
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/02/BUV9150IH8.DTL&feed=rss.business

Discarded Lottery Ticket Resurfaces a $650K Winner
http://www.kirotv.com/news/18389912/detail.html

Energy News Digest for December 30, 2008

The news digest will be sneaking around the grocery store tomorrow shaking up as many bottles of “sparkling” wine as possible. To avoid repercussions, it will be taking the day off. Prepare for a new onslaught beginning January 2. A safe and happy New Year to all!

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)

- Mason County PUD No. 3 Receives Fourth Consecutive National Financial Reporting Award
- Top TVA executive gets $2 million in salary
- High Arsenic Levels Found in Water Near TVA’s Tennessee Ash Spill
- Portland General Electric Rates Going Up
- Portland General Electric Announces New Chief Financial Officer
- California - Trapped By 300,000 Volts; Couple Lucky To Be Alive
- Illinois - Watching the Pot Boil: Buying Electricity Hourly Can Cut Costs
- Sacramento fall-run Chinook Salmon meet egg collection quotas
- New Hampshire - Atlantic salmon returns increase in 2008
- Liberating A River - A project is under way in Maine, U.S., to revive the salmon run on the Penobscot River
- Californians Shape Up as Force on Environmental Policy
- Washington State's e-cycling law takes effect Thursday
- Indonesia - Wind Turbines Fail to Generate Power
- Colorado - Dark Clouds over Solar Energy Economy
- Focus on Weatherization Is Shift on Energy Costs
- Will Energy Savings Jump-Start The Economy?
- Irish Wind Energy Company Looking At Montana
- Examiner.com Op/Ed - Electrical Grid Upgrades and the Implementation of Renewable Energy Sources
- Green Goal of 'Carbon Neutrality' Hits Limit
- Montana - Helena sees significant drop in energy usage, emissions
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed - Obama Should Increase Federal Gas Tax Or Impose Carbon Tax
- Dark Fiber - Grant PUD Responds To Moses Lake Chamber
- Moses Lake - Titan Building Uses Other Dark Fiber Carriers
- Give Us More Bandwidth - Internet Use Grows at Meetings, as Do Challenges
- Martin Pulls Smut Filters from Free Wireless Internet Plan
- Universal Broadband: The Begging Begins
- When Bandwidth Is Free - Internet Bandwidth Is Essential Infrastructure
- Pole Attachment Shenanigans - Push Paperwork, Not Pipes, for Universal Broadband
- One Storm Down, Two to Go
- Congressman Hastings' New Assignment Will Benefit Mid-Columbia

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Trepid • \TREP-id\ • adjective - Timorous, fearful

As we approach the end of a tumultuous 2008, the gray and aged father time looks back on the year with a deep sigh, wondering about “what might have been”. For the New Year’s baby of 2009 there is no such trepid thought as he looks forward: his only thought, “what might be.”

Merriam-Webster Word Origins: Don't be afraid to use "trepid." After all, it has been in the English language for more than 350 years -- longer, by 30 years, than its antonym "intrepid." "Trepid" (from Latin "trepidus," meaning "alarmed" or "agitated") isn't used as much as "intrepid," but it can be a good word at times. Bill Kaufman, for example, found a use for it in a May 7, 2000 Newsday article, in which an aquarium volunteer is "asked if she is perhaps a little trepid about swimming with sharks in a 12-foot deep, 120,000 gallon tank." (Her fearless reply: "Not really.") The more intrepid among you might even consider using "trepidate" for "to tremble with fear" and "trepidant," meaning "timid" or "trembling."

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Mason County PUD No. 3 Receives Fourth Consecutive National Financial Reporting Award (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/News/display.asp?NewsID=491

Top TVA executive gets $2 million in salary - Consultants say package is below industry average (The Tennessean, Nashville, TN)
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20081218/BUSINESS01/812180323

High Arsenic Levels Found in Water Near TVA’s Tennessee Ash Spill (Associated Press)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/29/AR2008122902511.html?wprss=rss_nation

Portland General Electric Rates Going Up (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1767975~Portland_General_Electric_rates_going_up.html?cid=rss-Oregon_Headlines

Portland General Electric Announces New Chief Financial Officer (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=349002&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

California - Trapped By 300,000 Volts; Couple Lucky To Be Alive (KTVU-TV, Oakland, CA)
http://www.ktvu.com/news/18353615/detail.html

Illinois - Watching the Pot Boil: Buying Electricity Hourly Can Cut Costs (Register-Mail, Galesburg, IL)http://www.galesburg.com/news/x946494075/Buying-electricity-hourly-can-cut-costs

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sacramento fall-run Chinook Salmon meet egg collection quotas (Fish & Fly Magazine)
http://www.fishandfly.com/articles/20081230

New Hampshire - Atlantic salmon returns increase in 2008 (Hampton Union, NH)
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081224-SPORTS-812240306

Liberating A River - A project is under way in Maine, U.S., to revive the salmon run on the Penobscot River by decommissioning two dams built across it (Frontline, India)
http://www.frontline.in/stories/20090116260109200.htm

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Californians Shape Up as Force on Environmental Policy (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/28/AR2008122801704.html?wprss=rss_business

Washington State's e-cycling law takes effect Thursday - Some fear it will discourage refurbishing (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/394077_ewaste30.html?source=rss

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Indonesia - Wind Turbines Fail to Generate Power (Jakarta Post – The utility spokesman should win an award for the effort to put a shine on this ****)
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/12/20/wind-turbines-fail-generate-power.html

Colorado - Dark Clouds over Solar Energy Economy (Rocky Mountain News, Denver, CO)
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/30/clouds-over-new-energy-economy/

Focus on Weatherization Is Shift on Energy Costs (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/us/30weatherize.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Will Energy Savings Jump-Start The Economy? (CNN)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/29/eco.economy/index.html?section=cnn_latest

Irish Wind Energy Company Looking At Montana (Associated Press)
http://www.helenair.com/articles/2008/12/30/state/80st_081230_irishwind.txt

Examiner.com Op/Ed - Electrical Grid Upgrades and the Implementation of Renewable Energy Sources
http://www.examiner.com/x-243-Progressive-Politics-Examiner~y2008m12d29-electrical-grid

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Green Goal of 'Carbon Neutrality' Hits Limit (Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123059880241541259.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Montana - Helena sees significant drop in energy usage, emissions (The Missoulian, MT)http://missoulian.com/articles/2008/12/30/news/mtregional/znews09.txt

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Op/Ed - Obama Should Increase Federal Gas Tax Or Impose Carbon Tax
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/394007_friedmanonline30.html?source=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Dark Fiber - Grant PUD Responds To Moses Lake Chamber (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/12/29/news/doc4959084e5ae6f619270617.txt

Moses Lake - Titan Building Uses Other Dark Fiber Carriers (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/12/29/news/doc4959079ecc317900085197.txt

Give Us More Bandwidth - Internet Use Grows at Meetings, as Do Challenges (Blue Ridge Times-News, Hendersonville, NC)
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20081230/znyt05/812303014&tc=yahoo

Martin Pulls Smut Filters from Free Wireless Internet Plan - May have FCC vote again in January (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Martin-Pulls-Smut-Filters-From-Wireless-Plan-99917

Universal Broadband: The Begging Begins (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/12/30/universal-broadband-the-begging-begins/

When Bandwidth Is Free - Internet Bandwidth Is Essential Infrastructure (ZDnet.com, via Baller/Herbst)
http://blogs.zdnet.com/open-source/?p=3226

Push Paperwork, Not Pipes, for Universal Broadband - Lowering the cost and making prices uniform for attaching equipment and stringing cables from utility poles would increase broadband deployments (GigaOM, via Baller/Herbst)http://gigaom.com/2008/12/26/push-paperwork-not-pipes-for-universal-broadband/

GENERAL NEWS

One Storm Down, Two to Go (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/36878519.html

Tri-City Herald Editorial - Hastings' New Assignment Will Benefit Mid-Columbia
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/429558.html

DIVERSIONS

Oops! Pay Stub Used As Bank Robbery Note
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28427847/?gt1=43001

Happy Ascension Day - Federal Way Officials Approve Copter Pad For Mega-Church
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/394145_churchhelicopter31.html?source=rss

Portland Car Wash Attendant Hoses Down Would-Be Robber
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/36878034.html

Energy News Digest for December 29, 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)

- Montana - Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Shuts Down Lays Off 200
- Grant County PUD Adopts 2009 Budget
- Olympian Editorial - Upgrade to Power Grid Wise Investment
- Idaho Statesman Op/Ed - Dam critics press transition team to replace BPA's administrator
- Washington Post Editorial – Virginia’s Electrical Gridlock
- Texas - Smaller Power Retailers Uneasy: companies fear being driven out of the market by new financial requirements
- Burning Coal at Home Is Making a Comeback (!)
- Alaska Energy Rebate Program Going Strong
- Olympian Editorial - Settlement for battle over Cushman dams expected soon
- Tennessee Valley Authority’s Coal Ash Flood Larger than Initial Estimate
- Portland General Electric confronts dirty dilemma at Boardman Generating Station
- End of Hanford Plutonium Shipments in Sight
- Bad Harvest, Low Demand Threaten Pacific Fishermen
- Pacific Fishing Group Seeks Part of Stimulus Aid
- Mason County Gets Salmon Grants
- Cowlitz Smelt Season Opens, but Smelt Don’t Cooperate
- White House Reconsiders Decision On Bull Trout
- Owls On Peninsula Under Pressure
- Governor Wants To Boost Spending On Puget Sound
- Washington Post Op/Ed - Broken Promises on the Chesapeake Bay
- Washington State finds 30 dangerous illegal dams
- From Columbia River To Aquifer To Umatilla Basin's Fields
- Seattle Times Editorial - Water-storage help for the Yakima River Basin
- Tri-City Herald Editorial - Time to Consider Updating Antiquated Irrigation Laws
- S.F. Chronicle Editorial - Is There A Right To Water?
- Well, Duh - Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy
- Hydrogen Proponent Touts Montana's Alternative Energy Bounty
- Idaho energy office disbands wind think-tank
- Wind Farms Could Bring Wyoming Ranchers Windfall
- Port Of Bremerton Still Trying To Make Sustainable Energy And Economic Development Project ‘Pencil' Out
- Getting Renewable Power to the People
- Biomass Push Can Help Georgia
- Bye, Bye Biomass - Firewood Sales Drop Dramatically As Spare the Air Law Takes Hold
- Greeley Tribune Op/Ed, Colorado - Environmentalists Not To Blame for Energy Woes
- Alaska - Borough Rejects Pitches for Waste-Fed Power
- Obscure New York Fee Pays for State’s Efficient-Energy Projects
- Lower Fuel and Home Prices Stall Green Building
- No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in ‘Passive Houses’
- Faster Climate Change Feared
- Uproar in Australia over Plan to Block Web Sites
- Australian Net Filtering Plan Delayed - Government misses their own deadline
- SW Idaho proposed site for high-tech corridor
- Hewlett Packard Pushes Forward in Data Warehousing Project
- Broadband Stimulus Plan Creates Lobbyist Feeding Frenzy
- Minneapolis Wi-Fi Network Stuck At 82% Complete
- What Carriers Aren’t Eager to Tell You about Texting
- More and More Baby Boomers Embrace Technology
- State Representative Steve Hailey Dies
- Like A Lead Balloon - Recyclers Cope With Falling Scrap Metal Prices
- Seattle Time Editorial - Northwestern Influence With Obama Comes From Congress

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Scapegrace • \SKAYP-grayss\ • noun - An incorrigible rascal

It seemed that whenever something went wrong at the factory, Freddy Brace could always be found at the bottom of it all. It wasn’t that he was the company scapegrace, purposely causing problems. It was more like he was a perpetual screw up, whose very presence on the factory floor acted as the Midas touch in reverse. His one bit of luck was the opportune photos he took at a long-ago Christmas party, which prominently featured the CEO in a “compromising” position.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Montana - Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant Shuts Down Lays Off 200 (Billings Gazette, MT)
http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/12/25/news/state/50-planlayoffs.txt

Grant County PUD Adopts 2009 Budget (Columbia Basin Herald)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2008/12/25/news/doc495262cb59102159353538.txt

Olympian Editorial - Upgrade to Power Grid Wise Investment
http://www.theolympian.com/207/story/706807.html

Idaho Statesman Op/Ed - Dam critics press transition team to replace BPA's administrator
http://www.idahostatesman.com/102/story/616455.html

Washington Post Editorial – Virginia’s Electrical Gridlock: Steps to Avert the Looming Power Crisis
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/25/AR2008122500662.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

Texas - Smaller Power Retailers Uneasy: companies fear being driven out of the market by new financial requirements under consideration by the Public Utility Commission (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6183138.html

Burning Coal at Home Is Making a Comeback (Non-Point Coal Emissions, Just Like Natural Gas Conversion? NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/business/27coal.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Alaska Energy Rebate Program Going Strong - State provided dollars at the right moment (Anchorage News Miner, AK)
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/dec/27/energy-rebate-program-going-strong/?opinion

Olympian Editorial - Settlement for battle over dams expected soon: A bitter and protracted battle over two hydroelectric dams on the North Fork of the Skokomish River could be drawing to a close
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/708783.html

Tennessee Valley Authority’s Coal Ash Flood Larger Than Initial Estimate (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/us/27sludge.html?bl&ex=1230613200&en=dca39d677a5bac74&ei=5087%0A

Portland General Electric confronts dirty dilemma at Boardman Generating Station (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/pge_confronts_dirty_dilemma_at.html

End of Hanford Plutonium Shipments in Sight (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/428591.html

FISH & WILDLIFE

Bad Harvest, Low Demand Threaten Pacific Fishermen (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1765495~Bad_harvest__low_demand_threaten_Pacific_fishermen.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Pacific Fishing Group Seeks Part of Stimulus Aid (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=119255

Mason County Gets Salmon Grants (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/5937/reftab/1632/t/MASON-COUNTY-GETS-SALMON-GRANTS/Default.aspx

Cowlitz Smelt Season Opens, but Smelt Don’t Cooperate (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.chronline.com/rss/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1230379327&archive=

White House Reconsiders Decision On Bull Trout - Administration is reconsidering its defense of endangered species decisions, following a report that showed political (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/12/26/news/local/znews04.txt

Owls On Peninsula Under Pressure - The northern spotted owl is being driven off its territory by a larger, more aggressive cousin, say wildlife biologists (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20081229/news/312299995

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Governor Wants To Boost Spending On Puget Sound - Despite the dour economy and state government's budget woes, Gov. Christine Gregoire wants to boost spending on Puget Sound, her signature environmental issue (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008560777_pugetsoundbudget26m.html?syndication=rss

Washington Post Op/Ed - Broken Promises on the Bay: Chesapeake Progress Reports Painted 'Too Rosy a Picture' As Pollution Reduction Deadlines Passed Unmet (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/26/AR2008122601712.html?nav=igoogle

Washington State finds 30 dangerous illegal dams (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=118838

From Columbia River To Aquifer To Umatilla Basin's Fields (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/12/_water_allowed_the_umatilla.html

Seattle Times Editorial - Water-storage help for the Yakima River Basin
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008561231_edit26rock.html?syndication=rss

Tri-City Herald Editorial - Time to Consider Updating Antiquated Irrigation Laws
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/962/story/427891.html

S.F. Chronicle Editorial - Is There A Right To Water?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/26/ED9O14Q5EC.DTL&feed=rss.opinion

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

Well, Duh - Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy “…wind turbine blades ice up, biodiesel congeals in tanks and solar panels produce less power because there is not as much sun…” (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/business/26winter.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Hydrogen Proponent Touts Montana's Alternative Energy Bounty (The Missoulian)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/12/26/news/mtregional/news09.txt

Idaho energy office disbands wind think-tank (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1761040~Idaho_energy_office_disbands_wind_think_tank.html?cid=rss-Idaho_Headlines

Wind Farms Could Bring Wyoming Ranchers Windfall (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98741271&ft=1&f=2

Port Of Bremerton Still Trying To Make Sustainable Energy And Economic Development Project ‘Pencil' Out (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/dec/27/port-still-trying-to-make-seed-145pencil/?partner=RSS

Getting Renewable Power to the People (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/27/MN5C14VFGS.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

Biomass Push Can Help Georgia (Atlanta Journal Constitution, GA)
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/12/26/amesed.html

Bye, Bye Biomass - Firewood Sales Drop Dramatically As Spare the Air Law Takes Hold (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11310489?source=rss

Greeley Tribune Op/Ed, Colorado - Environmentalists Not To Blame For Energy Woes
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081228/READERS/812279971/-1/rss04

Alaska - Borough Rejects Pitches for Waste-Fed Power (Anchorage News Miner, AK)
http://newsminer.com/news/2008/dec/26/borough-rejects-pitches-waste-fed-power/

Obscure New York Fee Pays for State’s Efficient-Energy Projects (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/nyregion/29sbc.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Lower Fuel and Home Prices Stall Green Building (San Francisco Chronicle, CA)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/26/financial/f140713S65.DTL&feed=rss.business

No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in ‘Passive Houses’ (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/world/europe/27house.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Faster Climate Change Feared - New Report Points to Accelerated Melting, Longer Drought (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/24/AR2008122402174.html?wprss=rss_nation

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Uproar in Australia over Plan to Block Web Sites (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2008/12/26/technology/AP-TEC-Australia-Internet-Filter.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Australian Net Filtering Plan Delayed - Government misses their own deadline on project (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Australian-Net-Filtering-Plan-Delayed-99884

SW Idaho proposed site for high-tech corridor (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008567285_apidtechnologycorridor1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Hewlett Packard Pushes Forward in Data Warehousing Project (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/technology/29hewlett.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Broadband Stimulus Plan Creates Lobbyist Feeding Frenzy - As debate continues on how exactly the money should be spent (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Broadband-Stimulus-Plan-Creates-Lobbyist-Feeding-Frenzy-99863

Minneapolis Wi-Fi Network Stuck At 82% Complete - Run in with Minny Parks & Recreation board stalls project (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Minneapolis-WiFi-Network-Stuck-At-82-Complete-99864

What Carriers Aren’t Eager to Tell You about Texting (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/business/28digi.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

More and More Baby Boomers Embrace Technology (Finding Dulcinea)
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/2008/December/More-and-More-Baby-Boomers-Embrace-Technology.html

GENERAL NEWS

State Representative Steve Hailey Dies (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/kennewick_pasco_richland/story/428591.html

Like A Lead Balloon - Recyclers Cope With Falling Scrap Metal Prices (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/578855.html

Seattle Time Editorial - Northwestern Influence With Obama Comes From Congress
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2008562580_edit27cabinet.html

DIVERSIONS

Calif. family finds $10,000 in box of crackers
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081227/ap_on_fe_st/odd_cracker_box_money;_ylt=Ahbisdy1kF.nNgwkervnM8_tiBIF

Jumbo snow globes + sunlight = FIRE!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081223/od_nm/us_recall_odd;_ylt=Auqk6fLR0xEJ3kYied1.29btiBIF

Stephen Colbert's Eagle 'Son' Spotted In Oregon
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_122808ANB_colbert_eagle_SW.16d203a2.html

Thieves size up holiday trash for high-end loot
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/36812199.html

Man spends days unnoticed in Pa. family's attic
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081228/ap_on_fe_st/odd_attic_intruder;_ylt=AvFLnPkvkEBUN8WjKc5i0rDtiBIF

Energy News Digest for December 23, 2008

The News Digest will be participating in Christmas festivities the 24th through the 26th, so you can set your reading glasses aside and dream of your own holiday plans this week instead.

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)

- Mason County PUD No. 3 – John Whalen’s Last Commission Meeting
- Columbia Treaty May Affect Hydropower Future
- Oregonian Op/Ed - The Case for Change at the Bonneville Power Administration
- P-I Columnist, Joel Connelly - Snow Is a Crucible for Those Governing
- Montana - Four Sentenced for Stealing Copper from Flathead Substations
- Denver Post Op/Ed - Affordable Electricity Crucial For Colorado and West
- Alcoa, Hydro-Quebec in Power Agreement Deal
- Advocacy Groups Put Constellation Energy on Naughty List
- Energy Industry Braces For Obama
- Smithsonian Highlights Nisqually Salmon Recovery Effort
- DNR Deal May Allow Totten Inlet Shellfish Harvest
- Goldmark Sees Politics in Shellfish Lease Study
- California - New wetlands plan worries S.F. Bay fishermen
- News Release - Innovative Fish Tower Will Restore Salmon Fish Passages
- New York Times Editorial - So Is Fish Safe to Eat or Not?
- Areas in Washington Exceed Pollution Standards
- Tacoma’s Biomass Heating Fallout – It Is Official: EPA Calls Area State’s ‘Sootiest’
- United Kingdom - Promoters Overstated the Environmental Benefit of Wind Farms
- Green Bling - Wind Turbines May Grace New I-5 Bridge over Columbia River
- Utilities versus Environmentalists - FPL's Efforts to Conserve Power Usage Spark Battle
- Efficient Holiday Lighting Gains More Converts
- Growing More Corn for Ethanol Makes Pest Control Harder
- Dishwasher Can Be An Energy Saver
- Washington State Pursuing Pared-Down Climate Change Agenda
- Are Carbon Offsets Worth It? Deciding Whether to Pay Off Your Holiday Air Travel
- At a Sleek Bioenergy Lab, a Lens on a Cabinet Pick
- GigaOM Cheat Sheet for National Broadband Plans
- FCC Free Broadband Plan Not Quite Dead Yet
- Is The Kirkland Honeymoon Really Over For Google?
- Lafayette Fiber Goes Live Next Month - What a long strange trip it's been
- Survey: Workers Facing Layoffs Could Be Security Threat
- Music Industry Drops Effort To Sue Over Illegal File Sharing
- Internet Service on Planes Likely To Become Commonplace
- Next Weather System: More Snow, Then Rain
- More Snow, Then Rain, To Be Followed By Possible Urban Flooding
- Census Report: Washington's Population Rises
- Several WA State Parks Slated for Closure
- Fry's Electronics Exec Accused Of $65 Million Fraud to Pay off Gambling Debts

These and links to more stories in today’s Energy News Digest

WORD OF THE DAY

Jostle • \JOSS-sull\ • verb - 1a: to come in contact or into collision b: to make one's way by pushing and shoving c: to exist in close proximity 2: to vie in gaining an objective : contend

In “A Christmas Carol” the Spirit of Christmas Present used his torch to sprinkle food with the Christmas spirit and dispensed drops of water to restore good humor, including to those who, in the hustle and bustle of the holiday, jostled each other I the humming crowds and became angry about their physical encounters.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast and Weather Alerts
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/MapClick.php?textField1=47.213805&textField2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=Shelton%2C%20WA%2C%20USA

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Mason County PUD No. 3 – John Whalen’s Last Commission Meeting (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/5885/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

Columbia Treaty May Affect Hydropower Future (Associated Press)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/36534369.html

Oregonian Op/Ed - The Case for Change at the Bonneville Power Administration
http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2008/12/the_case_for_change_at_the_bon.html

P-I Columnist, Joel Connelly - Snow Is A Crucible For Those Governing
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/393126_joel22.html

Montana - Four Sentenced for Stealing Copper from Flathead Substations (Associated Press)
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/four_sentenced_for_stealing_copper_from_flathead_substations/7362/

Denver Post Op/Ed - Affordable electricity crucial for Colorado and West
http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_11284796

Alcoa, Hydro-Quebec in power agreement deal (International Water Power)
http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?sectioncode=130&storyCode=2051768

Advocacy Groups Put Constellation Energy on Naughty List (Baltimore Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2008/12/22/daily4.html?ana=from_rss

Energy Industry Braces For Obama - The industry praises the president-elect's picks at DOE and EPA. But lawyers and regulators will largely run the show and the outlook for dirtier fuels could be quite costly (CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/22/news/economy/obama_energy/index.htm?section=money_latest

FISH & WILDLIFE

Smithsonian Highlights Nisqually Salmon Recovery Effort (The News Tribune, Tacoma)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/575699.html

DNR Deal May Allow Totten Inlet Shellfish Harvest - State, company continue negotiations over damages for past years' yields (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/706911.html

Goldmark Sees Politics In Shellfish Lease Study (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008551554_geoduck23m.html

California - New wetlands plan worries S.F. Bay fishermen (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/22/MN4914Q1I0.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

News Release - Innovative Fish Tower Will Restore Salmon Fish Passages And Provide Green Energy (Power Online)
http://www.poweronline.com/article.mvc/Innovative-Fish-Tower-Will-Restore-Salmon-0001?VNETCOOKIE=NO

New York Times Editorial - So Is Fish Safe to Eat or Not?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/opinion/23tue3.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Areas In Washington Exceed Pollution Standards (Associated Press)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/393323_airquality23.html?source=rss

Tacoma’s Biomass Heating Fallout - It’s official: EPA calls area state’s ‘sootiest’ (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/575726.html

RENEWABLE ENERGY & CONSERVATION

United Kingdom - Promoters Overstated the Environmental Benefit of Wind Farms: leads to a reduction in the carbon displacement figure (The Daily Telegraph, UK)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/windpower/3867232/Promoters-overstated-the-environmental-benefit-of-wind-farms.html

Green Bling - Wind turbines may grace new I-5 bridge Over Columbia River (The Oregonian, Portland, OR)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/12/wind_turbines_may_grace_new_i5.html

Utilities versus Environmentalists - FPL's Efforts to Conserve Power Usage Spark Battle (Miami Herald)
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/823484.html

Efficient holiday lighting gains more converts (Associated Press)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11292419?source=rss

Growing More Corn for Ethanol Makes Pest Control Harder (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/science/23obfuel.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Dishwasher can be an energy saver - Hand-washing can cost more in water, energy and detergent (Detroit Free Press)
http://www.freep.com/article/20081223/FEATURES01/812230304/1025/rss05

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Washington State Pursuing Pared-Down Climate Change Agenda (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/706932.html

Are Carbon Offsets Worth It? Deciding whether to pay off your holiday air travel (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2207324/?from=rss

At a Sleek Bioenergy Lab, a Lens on a Cabinet Pick (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/science/23lab.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

GigaOM Cheat Sheet for National Broadband Plans (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2008/12/21/gigaom-cheat-sheet-for-national-broadband-plans/

FCC Free Broadband Plan Not Quite Dead Yet - Though it probably won't be long for this world (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Free-Broadband-Plan-Not-Quite-Dead-Yet-99806

Is The Kirkland Honeymoon Really Over For Google? (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/brierdudley/2008546909_brier22.html

Lafayette Fiber Goes Live Next Month - What a long strange trip it's been (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Lafayette-Fiber-Goes-Live-Next-Month-99813

Survey: Workers facing layoffs could be security threat (Birmingham Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2008/12/22/daily7.html?ana=from_rss

Music industry drops effort to sue over illegal file sharing (Associated Press)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/FCC-Free-Broadband-Plan-Not-Quite-Dead-Yet-99806

Internet Service on Planes Likely To Become Commonplace (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11264469?source=rss

GENERAL NEWS

Next Weather System: More Snow, Then Rain (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/5891/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

More snow, then rain, to be followed by possible urban flooding (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008552403_webforecast23m.html?syndication=rss

Census report: Washington's population rises (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/393211_census23.html?source=rss

Several WA State Parks Slated for Closure (Looks like the list includes Schafer – NW Public Radio)
http://www.nwpr.org/07/HomepageArticles/Article.aspx?n=4754

Fry's Electronics Exec Accused Of $65 Million Fraud to Pay off Gambling Debts (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11290227?source=rss

DIVERSIONS

California Synagogue Makes Solar-Powered Potato Pancake - Happy Hanukkah!
http://www.examiner.com/a-1757686~OC_synagogue_makes_solar_powered_potato_pancake.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Audacity of hoops: Obama recruits Dream Team ... of basketball players
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_11273386?source=rss

OMG! Baby Dolls Raise a Stink In More Ways Than One
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/21/AR2008122102397.html?wprss=rss_business

Doctor Allegedly Used Body Fat as Fuel - Liposuction Remains Supposedly Used For Biodiesel
http://www.kirotv.com/health/18343310/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_7am&tmi=sea_7am_-1_09000112232008&ts=H