Energy News Digest for April 22, 2009

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

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Seattle Times Editorial - Washington Lawmakers Should Negotiate Remedies to Initiative 937's Flaws
- Tough Choices: Salmon, Nukes, and Taxes
- Oregon - Peter Defazio: Congressman takes on cap-and-trade
- PSE to Help Customers Put Green Back into Their Wallets on Earth Day
- ISO New England - Manager Backtracks On Claims of $85M in False Billing
- Kansas City Power & Light Agrees To Settle Missouri Rate Case
- New York - Con Edison Gets $523.4 Million Increase in Delivery Rates
- NY Regulators Approve Constellation Reactor Sale to French Firm
- Energy needs go on Iowa stage
- Smart Grid Stimulus Bill: DOE Snubs IOUs and Meters
- Engineer Shortage Puts Green Economy and Smart Grid at Risk
- US Biologists Say 3 Pesticides Harm Salmon
- California & Oregon Governors Seek Salmon Disaster Declaration
- Skagit Chinook Run to Open to All
- $94M for Eastern Washington Water Projects
- Mason County, City & College Celebrating Earth Day Today At Civic Center
- Environmental challenges remain long after first Earth Day
- Seattle Times Editorial - Lake Tapps, Water for Fish, Cities and Recreation
- Wenatchee World Editorial - When renewable is not renewable
- Seattle Company Floats Idea for Floating Wind Farms
- U.S. To Clear Way for Offshore Wind Farms
- Regional wind projects discussed in Clarkston
- Murray Explores Plan for Green Jobs
- Will Renewable Energy Cost Vermonters?
- Progress Energy Will Offer Solar Water Heating Benefit
- Green and Mean: The Downside Of Clean Energy
- City of Olympia cuts greenhouse gas output
- Science Taking Backseat to Cost In Climate Debate
- High Cost Of Addressing Climate Challenged
- Con Ed Shrugs Off Carbon Tax
- U.S. Prices Carbon Dioxide at More Than $13 a Ton in Draft Plan
- The Gospel of Green
- Deloitte Survey: Energy Regulators in a Green State of Mind
- Net Tool Tracks Carbon Footprint by ZIP Code
- Yahoo to Shed 600 To 700 Jobs after First-Quarter Results
- Oracle's Purchase of Sun Would Pose New Challenge for Microsoft
- Microsoft's Negotiations with Yahoo Intensify
- Profit Declined 9.7% in Quarter for AT&T
- AT&T to Shut down Internet Phone Service
- Hood Canal Bridge Closure Looms
- Seattle Times Online Traffic Grows, PI.Com’s Questioned

WORD OF THE DAY

Piebald • \PYE-bawld\ • adjective - 1: of different colors; especially: spotted or blotched with black and white *2: composed of incongruous parts

Expecting to see a sleek, streamlined example of a deregulated electricity market, the fresh-faced energy regulator was shocked by what he had wrought. Instead of lower prices for electricity; customers that had become better dancers (as well as taller and slimmer) he was delivered a piebald amalgam of disjointed service territories, high prices and a VERY angry Grandma Millie.

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

Seattle Times Editorial - Washington Lawmakers Should Negotiate Remedies to Initiative 937's Flaws
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2009097350_edita22wind.html

Tough Choices: Salmon, Nukes, and Taxes (Blue Oregon)
http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/04/tough-choices-salmon-nukes-and-coal.html?cid=6a00d8341c2c3f53ef0115703a215b970b

Oregon - Peter Defazio: Congressman takes on cap-and-trade, Obama and the Columbia River Crossing (Willamette Weekly, OR)
http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3524/12467/

News Release - PSE to Help Customers Put Green Back into Their Wallets on Earth Day and Every Day (BusinessWire)
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090421006195&newsLang=en

ISO New England - Electric Grid Manager Backtracks On Claims of $85M in False Billing (The Day, CT)
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=1d07bd53-c764-4dd3-9998-46ea44b7459b

Kansas City Power & Light Agrees To Settle Missouri Rate Case (Kansas City Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2009/04/20/daily25.html?ana=from_rss

New York - Regulators Grant Con Edison a $523.4 Million Increase in Delivery Rates (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/nyregion/22coned.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

NY Regulators Approve Constellation Reactor Sale to French Firm (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009094730_apusconstellationenergyreactors.html?syndication=rss

Energy needs go on Iowa stage (Des Moines Register, IA)
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090422/NEWS/90422001/-1/SPORTS09

Smart Grid Stimulus Bill: DOE Snubs IOUs and Meters (Smart Grid News)
http://www.smartgridnews.com/artman/publish/commentary/Smart_Grid_Stimulus_Bill_DOE_Snubs_IOUs_and_Meters-570.html

Engineer Shortage Puts Green Economy and Smart Grid at Risk (Electric Energy Online)
http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&id=109856

FISH & WILDLIFE

US Biologists Say 3 Pesticides Harm Salmon (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10222051

California & Oregon Governors Seek Salmon Disaster Declaration (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/827290.html

Skagit Chinook Run to Open to All (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090422/NEWS01/704229863/-1/RSS02

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

$94M for Eastern Washington Water Projects (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=158764

Mason County, City & College Celebrating Earth Day Today At Civic Center (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7037/reftab/1632/t/COUNTY-CITY--COLLEGE-CELEBRATING-EARTH-DAY-TODAY-AT-CIVIC-CENTER-/Default.aspx

Environmental challenges remain long after first Earth Day (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/connelly/405378_joel22.html?source=rss

Seattle Times Editorial - Lake Tapps, Water for Fish, Cities and Recreation
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2009097351_editb22water.html

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wenatchee World Editorial - When renewable is not renewable
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090421/OP02/704219875/1025/rss1025

Seattle Company Floats Idea for Floating Wind Farms (Voice of America)
http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2009-04-21-voa63.cfm

U.S. To Clear Way for Offshore Wind Farms (Chicago Tribune, IL)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-windfarm_wedapr22,0,7616411.story

Regional wind projects discussed in Clarkston (KLEW-TV, Lewiston, ID)
http://www.klewtv.com/news/local/43396842.html

Murray Explores Plan for Green Jobs (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10224638

Will Renewable Energy Cost Vermonters? (WCAX-TV, Montpelier, VT)
http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=10223262

Progress Energy Will Offer Solar Water Heating Benefit (News & Observer, NC)
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/story/1495484.html

Green and Mean: The Downside Of Clean Energy (New Scientist)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227041.300-green-and-mean-the-downside-of-clean-energy.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

City of Olympia cuts greenhouse gas output – Indulgences & Biofuels: Most of the 30 percent reduction comes from buying green power, use of biofuels in vehicles (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/827726.html

Science Taking Backseat to Cost In Climate Debate (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009092859_apusclimatehearings.html?syndication=rss

High Cost Of Addressing Climate Challenged - Environmental group challenges claims that major reductions in greenhouse gases would lead to soaring energy costs (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009094697_apusclimatehearingscosts.html?syndication=rss

Con Ed Shrugs Off Carbon Tax (CNBC)
http://www.cnbc.com/id/30327946/

U.S. Prices Carbon Dioxide at More Than $13 a Ton in Draft Plan (Bloomberg News)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=an3CLLybVe8A&refer=canada

The Gospel of Green (Newsweek Magazine)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/194838?from=rss

Deloitte Survey: Energy Regulators in a Green State of Mind (Utility Automation And Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=359880&C=INDUS&dcmp=rss

Net Tool Tracks Carbon Footprint by ZIP Code (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/22/BA9O176OMG.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Yahoo to Shed 600 To 700 Jobs after First-Quarter Results Fall Amid Worsening Slump (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009096169_apxearnsyahoo.html?syndication=rss

Oracle's Purchase of Sun Would Pose New Challenge for Microsoft (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2009091731_oracleside21.html?syndication=rss

Microsoft's Negotiations with Yahoo Intensify (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/microsoft/2009097778_msftyahoo22.html?syndication=rss

Profit Declined 9.7% in Quarter for AT&T (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/23/technology/companies/23phone.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

AT&T to Shut down Internet Phone Service (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/22/financial/f070525D00.DTL&feed=rss.business

GENERAL NEWS

Hood Canal Bridge Closure Looms (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009098251_hoodcanal22m.html?syndication=rss

Seattle Times Online Traffic Grows, PI.Com’s Questioned (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/20/daily19.html?ana=from_rss

DIVERSIONS

Man vs. Cunning, Destructive Neighbor
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43405322.html

Olympia City Council Votes against City Hall Bubbles
http://www.theolympian.com/southsound/story/827719.html

OMG —140,000 Text Messages Results In $26,000 T-Mobile Bill
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12195817

Readings Show Four Corners Marker Off By 2.5 Miles
http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/19240434/detail.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Green Green - The New Christy Minstrels (Why am I having flashbacks to “A Mighty Wind?”)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NvLkBA9vsQ&feature=PlayList&p=B61A5984B07DCDBA&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=62

Energy News Digest for April 21, 2009

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

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Classifying Hydropower Becomes Hot Topic in Legislature
- ‘Smart Grid’ Uniting More Than Power
- New Tacoma Public Utilities Meter Reader Feels like One In A Million
- Wanapum Heritage Center Honors the River People
- Court Rejects Former Kan. Utility CEO's Appeal
- Nearly $200 Million Spent On Energy Ads since Obama’s Inauguration
- Columbia River May Face Threat Of Mussels
- Letting the Water Flow Allows The Salmon Chums To Grow
- Environmental Agency's Embarrassing Sewer Problem Fixed
- West Is Told to Expect Water Shortfalls
- How Drier I Am: Flow of Many Rivers in Decline
- NY Times Editorial - De-Watering Wyoming
- Politicians Accuse Each Other Of Playing Dirty Politics
- Skagit County - Bids on PUD Pipe Job Come in At Half the Estimate
- Washington Could Be Closer to Recognizing Hydropower as Renewable Resource
- Forestry briefing explores wood as renewable energy source
- Biomass Energy Could Be Carbon "Sinner"
- Residents Testify About REC Silicon’s Expansion
- Offshore Wind Energy Blows In To NW Coast
- Neverending Story - Bremerton Port Nears Deal on SEED Support Services
- Britain Falls Behind On Investment in 'Clean' Energy
- Palo Alto Leads Nation in Renewable Energy Participants
- Solar Power Cheaper than Utilities for First Time in Northeast
- Canada - Electronic vampires, be gone
- EPA Recognizes The Evergreen State College Green Power Champion
- Winning the War of Energy Words Takes Repetition
- Environmental Wars - Old Growth Logging With a Green Stamp of Approval?
- Carbon tax - S.C. utilities wary of proposal: could increase bills up to 50 percent
- Amazon breaks ground at new South Lake Union headquarters
- Internet Upstarts Left Sun In the Dust
- Can New York Save Broadband?
- Fiber Optics Brings Power and Speed to Tribe’s Computers
- Google Improves Image Search, Adds News Timeline
- Hood Canal Bridge Set To Close May 1 for 6 Weeks
- Legislature Overhauls Public Education

WORD OF THE DAY

Besotted • \bih-SAHT-edd\ • verb - 1: infatuated 2: to be made dull or stupid; especially: to muddle with drunkenness

Bartholomew’s pudgy, trembling fingers reached for another chocolate from the tray at his elbow. Besotted from his excellent feast of port and chocolates, he wavered on the edge of consciousness, sure that there was no better combination of treats than what he was enjoying at that very moment.

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

Classifying Hydropower Becomes Hot Topic in Legislature (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/northwest/story/715884.html

‘Smart Grid’ Uniting More Than Power (Idaho Business Review)
http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive.htm/2009/04/20/Smart-Grid-uniting-more--than-power

New Tacoma Public Utilities Meter Reader Feels like One In A Million (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/715677.html

Wanapum Heritage Center Honors the River People (Indian Country Today)
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northwest/43279202.html

Court Rejects Former Kan. Utility CEO's Appeal (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009088284_apwittigsentence.html?syndication=rss

Nearly $200 Million Spent On Energy Ads since Obama’s Inauguration (Grist)
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-04-20-industry-groups-energy-ads/

FISH & WILDLIFE

Columbia River May Face Threat Of Mussels - A meeting Tuesday will focus on the potential invasion of zebra mussels in the Columbia River (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/04/20/local_news/090420local01invasivespeciessemina.txt

Letting The Water Flow Allows The Salmon Chums To Grow - Grays River project returns pastureland to marsh (The Daily Astorian)
http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398&ArticleID=60171&TM=54085.61

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Environmental agency's embarrassing sewer problem fixed (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43326612.html

West Is Told to Expect Water Shortfalls (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/science/21obriver.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

How Drier I Am: Flow of Many Rivers in Decline (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009093817_apusscishrinkingrivers.html?syndication=rss

NY Times Editorial - De-Watering Wyoming
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/opinion/21tues4.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Politicians Accuse Each Other Of Playing Dirty Politics (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43322767.html

Skagit County - Bids on PUD Pipe Job Come in At Half the Estimate (Skagit Valley Herald)
http://www.goskagit.com/home/article/bids_on_pud_pipe_job_come_in_at_half_the_estimate/

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Washington Could Be Closer to Recognizing Hydropower as Renewable Resource (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10217058

Forestry briefing explores wood as renewable energy source (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)
http://columbian.com/article/20090420/NEWS02/704219986/

Biomass Energy Could Be Carbon "Sinner" (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUKLL65478420090421

Residents Testify About REC Silicon’s Expansion - DOE Considering New Air Quality Permit “…Former plant neighbors…moved after two plant explosions in 1998. Claimed his wife’s skin began burning after the second explosion and paint peeled from their car...” (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)
http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/articles/2009/04/21/news/doc49edd6dfa7ec7193650133.txt

Offshore Wind Energy Blows In To NW Coast (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4813-offshore-wind-energy-blows-nw-coast/

Neverending Story - Bremerton Port Nears Deal on SEED Support Services (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/apr/20/bremerton-port-nears-deal-on-seed-support/?partner=RSS

Britain Falls Behind On Investment in 'Clean' Energy (Financial Times Of London)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b4c5b9f2-2e0c-11de-9eba-00144feabdc0.html

Palo Alto Leads Nation in Renewable Energy Participants (Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2009/04/20/daily14.html?ana=from_rss

Solar Power Cheaper than Utilities for First Time in Northeast (Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/partner/alteris-4286/news/article/2009/04/solar-power-cheaper-than-utilities-for-first-time-in-northeast?src=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Canada - Electronic vampires, be gone: Plasma TVs, microwaves, even your cell phone chargers suck up power when they're turned off, but there is a magic bullet for these phantoms (Canada.com)
http://www.canada.com/life/future-friendly/Electronic+vampires+begone/1452449/story.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

EPA Recognizes The Evergreen State College Green Power Champion (Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/epa-recognizes-the-evergreen-state,792227.shtml

Winning the War of Energy Words Takes Repetition (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/21/21greenwire-winning-the-war-of-words-takes-repetition-10615.html

Environmental Wars - Old Growth Logging With a Green Stamp of Approval? (Globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090420.BCHUME20ART2225/TPStory//?page=rss&id=GAM.20090420.BCHUME20ART2225

Carbon tax - S.C. utilities wary of proposal: could increase bills up to 50 percent (The State, Columbia, SC)
http://www.scoop.com/remote/article/include/86015580/53616c7465645f5f9471cb928f6084200ece3f3cd1904240b95a81eb66a7fce0

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Amazon breaks ground at new South Lake Union headquarters (KIRO Radio, Seattle)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=158176

Internet Upstarts Left Sun In the Dust (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/20/BU4I175SA3.DTL&feed=rss.business

Can New York Save Broadband? (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/20/can-new-york-save-broadband/

Fiber Optics Brings Power and Speed to Tribe’s Computers (Indian Country Today)
http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/plains/43277532.html

Google Improves Image Search, Adds News Timeline (San Jose Mercury News, CA)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12186063

GENERAL NEWS

Hood Canal Bridge Set To Close May 1 for 6 Weeks (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43302367.html

Legislature Overhauls Public Education (Associated Press)
http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=11&sid=158370

DIVERSIONS

100-Year-Old Woman Rolls into Bowling History
http://www.kirotv.com/family/19224321/detail.html

Porterhouse Sizzles at Bulldog Beauty Contest
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090421/ap_on_fe_st/beautiful_bulldog_contest;_ylt=AqD6HltIQdYoWDT3jm0ITc3tiBIF

Indebted Spaniard Kidnaps His Banker
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090417/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_spain_bank_hostage;_ylt=Ar8IW9Ex6RZDGOCS1AUok9XtiBIF

Indian Politicians Demand Protection From Flying Shoes
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090417/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_india_election_shoes;_ylt=AgowKNN3zeB.rHI15BI999vtiBIF

SONG OF THE DAY

Debbie Harry & Kermit the Frog - The Rainbow Connection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRvhRhWWE44

Sarah Mclachlan - The Rainbow Connection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4GBnpS83As

Willie Nelson - Rainbow Connection
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX9E_D_HjBo&feature=PlayList&p=80E68A06E34C054E&index=0&playnext=1

Energy News Digest for April 20, 2009

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

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- WA Legis. Debates Clean-Energy Initiative Changes
- Power Deal Is Key to Intalco Survival
- Natural Gas: A Cleaner Option, But Still a Fossil Fuel
- Congress to Pass Energy Bill This Year: White House
- Mason County PUD No. 3 Has Clean Mix of Energy Sources
- PUD 3 Mix of Energy Resources a Breath of Fresh Air
- Energy NW Wash Columbia Reduced For Unplanned Work
- Chelan PUD is ready For another Rate Talk
- California May Warm To B.C. Private Power Producers
- Consumers Start Feeling Higher Costs Of Clean Fuel
- Memphians Pay Ninth Lowest COMBINED Utility Bill In U.S.
- California - Fearing Wildfires, Utility Plans Power Shutdowns
- TVA Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuits in Tenn. Ash Spill
- Texas Company: We Want Nation's Radioactive Waste
- Baltimore Sun Editorial - Deregulation Power Failure
- Texas - Locking In Electricity Prices: Save a Lot - Or Pay the Price
- Spring Chinook Return In Droves to Wind and Klickitat Rivers, Drano Lake
- Report: Judge Wants Dam Removal as an Option for Salmon
- Salmon Recovery Projects Praised
- Stimulus Money Pays For Klamath Dam Removal Study
- Columbia Salmon Harvest Solution Proposed By Congressman
- PBS Program 'Frontline' Takes a Look at Puget Sound
- Skookumchuck Dam - Any Flood Control Possibilities Come With Limits
- Omak Creek Project To Get Stimulus Money
- Chelan, WA - Aging of Water Mains Is Becoming Hard to Ignore
- For the Electric Grid, Renewable Goals Pose Daunting Task
- NERC Study: Operation/Planning Of Nation's Power System
- Montana - Schweitzer Signs Renewable Energy Bill
- Salem Statesman Op/Ed – Renewable Energy: Market intervention overkill
- Congressmen Will Look At Timber for Clean Energy, Jobs
- Idaho Wind Farm Gets 20-Year Purchase Agreement
- Desert Clash in West over Solar Potential, Water
- Solar Down But Not Out, Report Says
- Marine Power Not Ready For Prime Time, Experts Say
- Fat Burner - An Old Power Plant Site Is Getting New Life
- A (Mill) Wind Blows Afoul of Weather Radar
- Conservation Mandates: Hot Debate Ahead on Berkeley's Energy Plans
- Great Wolf Lodge Receives Green Seal
- The Stimulus Bill and Energy
- Carbon Emissions Pose Danger, EPA Finds
- No ‘Subprime Carbon’ Investments for Senator Cantwell
- Seattle Times Editorial - More Tools Pending For Climate Change
- Oregon - Climate changes in Capitol
- Studies Suggest Northwest Smog Could Ease As Warming Worsens
- A Plan for U.S. Emissions to Be Buried Under Sea
- Florida - The Great (Green) Debate in Churches
- Carriers Aim to Keep Rural Broadband under Their Thumb
- As Costs Fall, Companies Push to Raise Internet Price
- Rural Areas Increasingly Underserved By Telecommunications
- Manassas Tries to Keep Dying BPL Network Alive
- Deal Brings TV Shows and Movies to YouTube
- Oracle Agrees to Acquire Sun Microsystems
- Plugged-In Hotels Ring In More Guests
- London Data Center to Power Local Community
- Older Generations Adopting New Technologies Faster Than Young
- Port Of Shelton Hires Dobson as New Executive Director
- Belfair Celebrates Opening of New Branch of Harrison Hospital
- New Weather Tower Approved For Olympic Nat Park
- Olympia Rethinks Seattle Artist's Bronze 'Bubble' Art

WORD OF THE DAY

Scintilla • \sin-TILL-uh \ • noun – Spark, trace

Try as he might, Monty could not find a scintilla of evidence that ancient aliens were responsible for the Mima Mounds, or the “Earth Pimples” as he called them.

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

WA Legis. Debates Clean-Energy Initiative Changes - Environmentalists will have to reboot their compromise on changes to a voter-approved clean energy initiative (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008918002_apwaxgrrenewableenergy1stldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Power Deal Is Key to Intalco Survival – BPA proposal suggests Intalco bill be cut by 22 percent when aluminum prices are low. Alcoa wants a 42 percent cut (Bellingham Herald, WA – I thought Alcoa said it was market conditions and low commodity prices?)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/876343.html

Natural Gas: A Cleaner Option, But Still a Fossil Fuel (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4804-natural-gas-offers-am-cleaner-option-its-still-fossil-fuel/

Congress to Pass Energy Bill This Year: White House (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/usPoliticsNews/idUKTRE53I1OO20090419

Mason County PUD No. 3 Has Clean Mix of Energy Sources (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7009/reftab/1632/Default.aspx

PUD 3 Mix of Energy Resources a Breath of Fresh Air (Mason County PUD No. 3)
http://www.masonpud3.org/newsdisplay.aspx?newsid=537

Energy NW Wash Columbia Reduced For Unplanned Work (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKN1735309820090417

Chelan PUD Is Ready For another Rate Talk (Wenatchee World)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090417/NEWS04/704179946/1001/NEWS04

California May Warm To B.C. Private Power Producers (Vancouver Sun, BC)
http://www.vancouversun.com/business/California+warm+private+power+producers/1508256/story.html

Consumers Start Feeling Higher Costs Of Clean Fuel - Clean energy has a dirty secret: It isn't cheap (USA Today)
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/environment/2009-04-19-higher-cost-clean-energy_N.htm

Memphians Pay Ninth Lowest COMBINED Utility Bill In U.S. (Memphis Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2009/04/13/daily40.html?ana=from_rss

A Link to the Summary of the Memphis Report is here (Links to PDF File)
http://www.mlgw.com/images/RateComparison.pdf

California - Fearing Wildfires, Utility Plans Power Shutdowns (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/us/17electric.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

TVA Seeks Dismissal of Lawsuits in Tenn. Ash Spill (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/17/national/a141140D11.DTL&feed=rss.business

Texas Company: We Want Nation's Radioactive Waste (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/17/financial/f122943D88.DTL&feed=rss.business

Baltimore Sun Editorial - Power failure: By rejecting re-regulation Maryland lawmakers have left the state's energy policies in a muddle
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bal-ed.power19apr19,0,1289245.story

Texas - Locking In Electricity Prices: Save a Lot - Or Pay the Price (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009082610_aplockinginprices.html?syndication=rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Spring Chinook Return In Droves to Wind and Klickitat Rivers, Drano Lake (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2009081930_outn19.html?syndication=rss

Report: Judge Wants Dam Removal as an Option for Salmon (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/report_judge_wants_dam_removal.html

Salmon Recovery Projects Praised (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/712093.html

Stimulus Money Pays For Klamath Dam Removal Study (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/823466.html

Lower Columbia River salmon harvest solution proposed by Oregon congressman (Seattle Times)
http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/reeltimenorthwest/2009/04/16/lower_columbia_river_salmon_ha.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

PBS Program 'Frontline' Takes a Look at Puget Sound (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_041609WAB-frontline-puget-sound-SW.dfbcca61.html?rss

Skookumchuck Dam - Any Flood Control Possibilities Come With Limits Upstream: TransAlta Spokesman Dispels Misconceptions (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1239989995&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

Omak Creek Project To Get Stimulus Money (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/822109.html

Chelan, WA - Aging of Water Mains Is Becoming Hard to Ignore (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/us/18water.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

For the Electric Grid, Renewable Goals Pose Daunting Task (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/04/16/16climatewire-national-renewable-power-goals-pose-daunting-10547.html

NERC study: Operation/planning of nation's power system needs big changes to integrate intermittent energy sources (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=359453&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss

Montana - Schweitzer Signs Renewable Energy Bill (The Missoulian, MT)
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2009/04/17/news/mtregional/news20.txt

Salem Statesman Op/Ed – Renewable Energy: Market intervention overkill
http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20090419/OPINION/90418016/1049/OPINION

Congressmen Will Look At Timber for Clean Energy, Jobs (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/a_moribund_timber_industry_cou.html

Idaho Wind Farm Gets 20-Year Purchase Agreement (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/822294.html

Desert Clash in West over Solar Potential, Water (Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1968151~Desert_clash_in_West_over_solar_potential__water.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Solar Down But Not Out, Report Says (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12168616

Marine Power Not Ready For Prime Time, Experts Say (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/15/15greenwire-marine-power-not-ready-for-prime-time-experts-10525.html

Fat Burner - An old power plant site is getting new life from a plan to create electricity by burning waste vegetable oil and animal byproducts (Houston Chronicle, TX)
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6380763.html

A (Mill) Wind Blows Afoul of Weather Radar (Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN)
http://www.startribune.com/local/43253962.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California - Hot Debate Ahead on Berkeley's Energy Plans - Within the next few years, the city is likely to mandate that all homes meet strict energy standards (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/18/MNLE174GD5.DTL&feed=rss.news

Great Wolf Lodge Receives Green Seal (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)
http://www.outdoorslc.com/story.php?subaction=showfull&id=1240059234&archive=&start_from=&ucat=5&

The Stimulus Bill and Energy (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103183502

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Carbon Emissions Pose Danger, EPA Finds - Agency’s move lays the foundation for expanding US regulation of thousands of companies (Christian Science Monitor)
http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/04/17/carbon-emissions-pose-danger-epa-finds/

No ‘Subprime Carbon’ Investments for Her - Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell is joining those questioning the consensus approach on climate change. She fears the effect of a carbon-trading market (The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/government/story/713839.html

Seattle Times Editorial - More Tools Pending For Climate Change
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2009086386_edita20climate.html?syndication=rss

Oregon - Climate changes in Capitol: The economic chill leaves lawmakers cool to such ideas for fighting global warming as a carbon cap or tax (Eugene Register Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/updates/11979633-55/story.csp

Studies Suggest Northwest Smog Could Ease As Warming Worsens (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009078930_airpollute18m.html?syndication=rss

A Plan for U.S. Emissions to Be Buried Under Sea (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/business/energy-environment/18clean.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Florida - The Great (Green) Debate in Churches: Some believers are balancing the green trend with "creation care." (Jacksonville Times Union, FL)
http://www.jacksonville.com/lifestyles/values_and_religion/2009-04-19/story/the_great_green_debate_in_churches

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Carriers Aim to Keep Rural Broadband under Their Thumb (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/17/carriers-aim-to-keep-rural-broadband-under-their-thumb/

As Costs Fall, Companies Push to Raise Internet Price (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/20/business/20isp.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Minnesota - Rural Areas Increasingly Underserved By Telecommunications (Timberjay Newspapers)
http://www.timberjay.com/current.php?article=5271

Manassas Tries to Keep Dying BPL Network Alive - BPL industry's poster child for technology now on life support (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Manassas-Tries-To-Keep-Dying-BPL-Network-Alive-101951

Deal Brings TV Shows and Movies to YouTube (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/17/business/media/17youtube.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Oracle Agrees to Acquire Sun Microsystems (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/21/technology/companies/21sun.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Plugged-In Hotels Ring In More Guests (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSTRE53F42520090416?feedType=nl&feedName=ustechnology

London Data Center to Power Local Community (C/NET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10221437-54.html?tag=nl.e433

O'Brien: Older Generations Adopting New Technologies Faster Than Young (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12159990

GENERAL NEWS

Port Of Shelton Hires Dobson as New Executive Director (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/7010/reftab/1632/t/PORT-OF-SHELTON-HIRES-DOBSON-AS-NEW-EXECUTIVE-DIRECTOR-/Default.aspx

Belfair Celebrates Opening of New Branch of Harrison Hospital (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/apr/17/belfair-celebrates-opening-of-new-branch-of/?partner=RSS

New Weather Tower Approved For Olympic Nat Park (Associated Press)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10196068

Olympia Rethinks Seattle Artist's Bronze 'Bubble' Art (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009088042_webbubble20m.html?syndication=rss

DIVERSIONS

Baby Pythons Escape During Flight in Australia - Snakes on Plane Not Found
http://www.kirotv.com/travelgetaways/19194008/detail.html

Man Accused of Using Vet Headstones for Patio
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19196457/detail.html

English Village May Use Potholes For Speed Control
http://www.kirotv.com/automotive/19195528/detail.html

SpongeBob: Still Soaking Up Ratings after 10 Years
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103170924&ft=1&f=3

SONG OF THE DAY

Perfect music for today:

Crystal Blue persuasion - Tommy James & the Shondells
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN38vED24Eg

Energy News Digest for April 16, 2009

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

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Idaho Power Seeks 11 Percent Rate Increase
- Northwest Natural Gas Plans $32M Refund
- Power Lines Fall On School Bus in Granite Falls
- Fatal Accident in Wapato Leaves Hundreds without Power for Hours
- Rocky Reach Dam to be featured on 'Dirty Jobs'
- Work Begins To Seal Hanford's N Reactor
- Missouri Nuclear Plant Bill Prompts Rival Rallies
- U.S. Power Plants to Burn Less Coal in 2009
- Feds Say Natural Gas Supplies Rose Last Week
- FERC’s State of the Markets – 2008
- PGE Expands Smart-Reader Program
- Shelton-Area Salmon Conference Kicks Off
- Hood Canal Shrimp Season Opens May 2
- Aquatic Reserve Proposed Off North Whidbey Island
- Water War Brews in Idaho’s Eagle Foothills
- Interior Chief Says California Water System Outdated
- Detective Work Cuts Off Flow of Chicken Goo into Columbia River
- Beware the Photo of Poo! - ‘Biosolids’ and Human Health
- In Green Energy, an Environmental Paradox
- The Real "Green" Innovation - Financial Wizardry
- Olympian Editorial - State Well-Positioned For Green Economy
- Register Guard Op/Ed - Denmark Proves That Green Power Can Pay
- Want A Career In The Green Economy? Go To School
- Texas Trash to Become Sacramento Power
- Ethanol Causing Damage in Small Engines
- Alabama – City Of Hoover Will Power Cars with Wood Waste
- Stimulus Money May Help Bring 'Smart Grid' To Northwest
- Capture Is Expensive Part of Carbon Sequestration Projects
- NE U.S - Organizers Call Regional Emissions Plan A Success
- Third-World Stove Soot Is Target in Climate Fight
- BBC Op/Ed - Time To Act On Carbon Markets
- Phone Company Shelves Unpopular Internet Cap Plan
- Here Comes the Connected Nation Sales Pitch
- Internet Used By More than Half in U.S. Election
- Qwest Closing Call Centers in Littleton, Omaha
- Manassas Preserves Broadband Over Powerline Program
- U.S. Telecoms Eager to Get Cuba on the Line
- Unemployment in Mason County up Another Percentage Point
- State Bill Would Ban New Urban Growth in Floodplains
- Seattle ‘Most Miserable Sports City’ In U.S.

WORD OF THE DAY

Parvum Opus • \PARR-vum OPE-uss\ • noun – Translated literally from Latin as “little work” (as opposed to magnum opus, which is “great work”)

Alfred’s once-tiny daughter always resented his referring to her as his “parvum opus”. As a child she did not reach her growth spurt until her late teens, when she shot up from a diminutive four-foot-two, to a six-foot-seven giantess by the age of 21. Her retort one day was that her “magnum opus” was to crack him over the head with a broom…which effectively ended his “little joke”.

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

Idaho Power Seeks 11 Percent Rate Increase (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/821187.html

Northwest Natural Gas Plans $32M Refund (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/13/daily32.html?ana=from_rss

Power Lines Fall On School Bus in Granite Falls (KIRTO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/news/19192087/detail.html

Fatal Accident in Wapato Leaves Hundreds without Power for Hours (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10194300

Rocky Reach Dam to be featured on 'Dirty Jobs' (Wenatchee World, WA)
http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090415/NEWS04/704169956/1001/NEWS04

Work Begins To Seal Hanford's N Reactor (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009069477_webnreactor16m.html?syndication=rss

Missouri Nuclear Plant Bill Prompts Rival Rallies (Fort Mills Times)
http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/529964.html

U.S. Power Plants to Burn Less Coal in 2009 (The Electricity Forum)
http://www.electricityforum.com/news/apr09/USwillburnlesscoalthisyear.html

Feds say natural gas supplies rose last week (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/16/financial/f073921D47.DTL&feed=rss.business

FERC’s State of the Markets – 2008 (Links to PDF File)
http://www.ferc.gov/market-oversight/st-mkt-ovr/som-rpt-2008.pdf

PGE expands smart-reader program (Portland Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/04/13/daily35.html?ana=from_rss

FISH & WILDLIFE

Shelton-Area Salmon Conference Kicks Off - Funding has improved habitat, but challenges remain (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/localnewsfeed/story/821431.html

Hood Canal shrimp season opens May 2 (Port Townsend Leader, WA)
http://www.ptleader.com/Main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=23928

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Aquatic Reserve Proposed Off North Whidbey Island (Whidbey News-Times)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/wnt/news/43069737.html

Water War Brews in Idaho’s Eagle Foothills - Developers claim there's plenty of water to support their plans, but neighbors fear their wells will dry up (Idaho Statesman, Boise)
http://www.idahostatesman.com/localnews/story/733473.html

Interior Chief Says California Water System Outdated (Examiner.Com)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1963022~Interior_chief_says_Calif__water_system_outdated.html?cid=rss-California_Headlines

Detective Work Cuts Off Flow of Chicken Goo into Columbia River (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2009/04/food_processor_fined_for_dumpi.html

Beware the Photo of Poo! - ‘Biosolids’ and Human Health (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/biosolids-and-human-health/?partner=rss&emc=rss

RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

In Green Energy, an Environmental Paradox - Wind and Solar Projects May Carry Costs for Wildlife (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/15/AR2009041503622.html?nav=rss_email/components

The Real "Green" Innovation - Why alternative energy depends more on financial wizardry than mechanical wizardry (Slate Magazine)
http://www.slate.com/id/2216129/?from=rss

Olympian Editorial - State Well-Positioned For Green Economy
http://www.theolympian.com/opinion/story/821162.html

Register Guard Op/Ed - Denmark Proves That Green Power Can Pay (pay no attention to that fossil fuel backup generation…)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/11562119-46/story.csp

Jobs, Blowing in the Wind - Want a career in the green economy? Go to school. (Newsweek)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/194106?from=rss

Texas Trash to Become Sacramento Power (Sacramento Business Journal, CA)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/04/13/daily41.html?ana=from_rss

Ethanol Causing Damage in Small Engines (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10191957

Alabama – City Of Hoover Will Power Cars with Wood Waste (Birmingham Business Journal – No, not Stanley Steamers)
http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2009/04/13/daily28.html?ana=from_rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Stimulus Money May Help Bring 'Smart Grid' To Northwest (Oregon Public Radio)
http://news.opb.org/article/4786-stimulus-money-may-help-bring-smart-grid-northwest/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Capture Is Expensive Part of Carbon Sequestration Projects (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
http://news.opb.org/article/4775-can-carbon-sequestration-ease-pace-climate-change/

NE U.S - Organizers Call Regional Emissions Plan A Success (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009058931_apnjnjgreenhousegases.html?syndication=rss

Third-World Stove Soot Is Target in Climate Fight (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/science/earth/16degrees.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

BBC Op/Ed - Time to act on carbon markets (United Kingdom)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8000156.stm

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Phone Company Shelves Unpopular Internet Cap Plan (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/15/financial/f125227D22.DTL&feed=rss.business

Here Comes the Connected Nation Sales Pitch - Two senators insist broadband mapping firm play central role (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Here-Comes-The-Connected-Nation-Sales-Pitch-101925

Internet Used By More than Half in U.S. Election (Reuters)
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSTRE53E6UL20090415?feedType=nl&feedName=usmorningdigest

Qwest Closing Call Centers in Littleton, Omaha (Denver Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/stories/2009/04/13/daily43.html?ana=from_rss

Manassas Preserves Broadband Over Powerline Program - Funds to Continue While Service Is Studied (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041403723.html?wprss=rss_technology

U.S. Telecoms Eager to Get Cuba on the Line (Washington Post)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041403144.html?wprss=rss_business

GENERAL NEWS

Unemployment in Mason County up Another Percentage Point (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6998/reftab/1632/t/UNEMPLOYMENT-IN-MASON-COUNTY-UP-ANOTHER-PERCENT/Default.aspx

State Bill Would Ban New Urban Growth in Floodplains (Bellingham Herald, WA)
http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/869870.html

Seattle ‘Most Miserable Sports City’ In U.S.: Forbes (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/13/daily29.html?ana=from_rss

DIVERSIONS

Whoops! Promotional Brass Knuckles Are Bad Idea
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/technology/2009/april/Whoops--Promotional-Brass-Knuckles-Are-Bad-Idea.html

Library Book Returned 145 Years after Soldier Stole It during Civil War
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12147378

'Caveman' Uses Ladder to Clobber Robber
http://www.kirotv.com/money/19189479/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_4pm&tmi=sea_4pm_1_06000104152009&ts=H

Move over, Guitar Hero, it's Oh-No Banjo
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10220352-1.html?tag=nl.e703

SONG OF THE DAY

Foggy Mountain Breakdown--Flatt and Scruggs & Foggy Mt Boys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APl9fRFmdC0

Energy News Digest for April 15, 2009

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

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- HANFORD: Obama Nominates DOE Deputy Secretary
- United Kingdom - Experts Warn Of 'Energy Shortfall'
- Oregon - Engineering Failure at $100M Fish Facility
- Bountiful Oregon Salmon Season Expected
- An Ancient Art: Dowser Works on Whidbey Island
- New Survey Urges Buyers of Green Products to Beware
- 'Energetic Site' Chosen for Snohomish PUD's Tidal Power
- Irish Tidal Energy Company Secures Contract with Snohomish
- Imperium Grays Harbor Biodiesel Plant Not Producing
- PROMISES, PROMISES: Plug-In Cars Goal Hard To Hit
- Palo Alto Eyes Solar Financing Plan
- First Solar To Build Nevada Photovoltaic Plant
- Reviving the Energy-From-Trash Concept
- NREL Highlights Utility Green Power Leaders
- Does Green Building Make Cents?
- Deciphering California’s Efficiency Successes
- State House Approves Limits on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Boxer Seeks Silicon Valley's Help in Clean-Technology Push
- Global Carbon Market to Achieve $669 Billion In 2013
- UK Biofuels Target Creating More Emissions
- Now the Greens Want Your Cat
- Palo Alto Presses On With Citywide Fiber
- Democrats Take Nap on Network
- The Whys and Hows of Measuring Power in Your Data Center
- Study: Spammers Scourge To Inbox and Environment
- One Teen Dies, Another Seriously Injured In Hwy 3 Crash
- Mason County to Cut Deputies
- 9.2% Unemployment "Troubling" For State
- Bremerton-Based Hospital Eliminating 91 Jobs
- State Senator: State Income Tax 'Inevitable'
- Former P-I Staffers Launch Online Newspaper

WORD OF THE DAY

Slake • \SLAYK\ • verb - *1: satisfy, quench 2: to cause (as lime) to heat and crumble by treatment with water: hydrate

Thunderous cataracts of water flowed over the jagged cliffs, garbed in emerald green moss and ferns. The weary travelers, parched from a long trek were warned not to slake their thirst from the tempting stream due to the location of a large dairy stream located just upstream.

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

HANFORD: Obama Nominates DOE Deputy Secretary (Tri-City Herald, WA)
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/945/story/544016.html

United Kingdom - Experts Warn Of 'Energy Shortfall' As Nuclear Sites Revealed (Times of London)
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6099637.ece

FISH & WILDLIFE

Oregon - Engineering Failure at $100M Fish Facility (Bend Bulletin)
http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090415/NEWS0107/904150374/1009/NEWS01&nav_category=NEWS01

Bountiful Oregon Salmon Season Expected (Eugene Register-Guard)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/sports/outdoors/11620180-41/story.csp

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

An Ancient Art: Dowser Works on Whidbey Island (Whidbey News Times)
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/whidbey/wnt/news/42998887.html

New Survey Urges Buyers of Green Products to Beware (Sacramento Bee, CA)
http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1780849.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

'Energetic Site' Chosen For Snohomish PUD's Tidal Power Test - The PUD settles on Admiralty Inlet off Whidbey Island as the site to test energy-producing turbines (Everett Herald, WA)
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090415/NEWS01/704159882/-1/RSS02

Irish Tidal Energy Company Secures Contract with Snohomish PUD (Edie Net)
http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=16281&channel=0&title=Irish+company+wins+US+tidal+power+contract

Imperium Grays Harbor Biodiesel Plant Not Producing (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)
http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2009/04/14/local_news/doc49e4cd664a0c7962960356.txt

PROMISES, PROMISES: Plug-In Cars Goal Hard To Hit (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2009056993_apobamaplugins.html?syndication=rss

Palo Alto Eyes Solar Financing Plan (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12144945

First Solar To Build Nevada Photovoltaic (Plant San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/15/financial/f063121D21.DTL&feed=rss.business

Reviving the Energy-From-Trash Concept (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/reviving-the-energy-from-trash-concept/

NREL Highlights Utility Green Power Leaders (Utility Automation & Engineering)
http://uaelp.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=ONART&PUBLICATION_ID=22&ARTICLE_ID=359286&C=ENVIR&dcmp=rss

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Does Green Building Make Cents? It depends - Two new studies offer conflicting views (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/405135_green15.html?source=rss

Deciphering California’s Efficiency Successes (NY Times)
http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/deciphering-californias-efficiency-successes/

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

State House Approves Limits on Greenhouse Gas Emissions (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/43035637.html

Boxer Seeks Silicon Valley's Help in Clean-Technology Push (San Jose Mercury News)
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12142720

Global Carbon Market to Achieve $669 Billion In 2013 (Earth Times)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/global-carbon-market-to-achieve-669-billion-in-2013,784851.shtml

UK Biofuels Target Creating More Emissions, Environmentalists Claim (The Guardian, UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/15/biofuels-carbon-emissions

Now The Greens Want Your Cat - Bruce Ramsey replies to an argument that cats are bad for the environment (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2009052021_opina15ramsey.html?syndication=rss

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Palo Alto Presses On With Citywide Fiber Network - Council says the technology is key to competitiveness, despite setback (Palo Alto Times, CA)
http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=11958

Democrats Take Nap on Network Neutrality - Meet the new boss, same as the old boss (Broadband Reports)
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Democrats-Take-Nap-On-Network-Neutrality-101903

The Whys and Hows of Measuring Power in your Data Center (Greener Computing)
http://greenercomputing.com/feature/2009/04/15/why-how-measure-data-center-power

Study: Spammers Scourge to Inbox and Environment (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/14/financial/f210641D12.DTL&type=health

GENERAL NEWS

One Teen Dies, Another Seriously Injured In Crash on Highway 3 South Of Allyn (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6987/reftab/1632/t/ONE-TEEN-DIES-ANOTHER-SERIOUSLY-INJURED-IN-CRASH-ON-HIGHWAY-3-SOUTH-OF-ALLYN-/Default.aspx

Mason County to Cut Deputies (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.nwcn.com/topstories/stories/NW_041409WAB-mason-county-deputy-cuts-TP.d52b38d5.html

9.2% Unemployment "Troubling" For State (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009054985_jobless15.html?syndication=rss

Bremerton-Based Hospital Eliminating 91 Jobs (The Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/apr/14/bremerton-based-hospital-eliminating-91-jobs/?partner=RSS

State Senator: State Income Tax 'Inevitable' (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
http://www.kirotv.com/politics/19178983/detail.html?treets=sea&tid=2653595907813&tml=sea_4pm&tmi=sea_4pm_1_06000104142009&ts=H

Former P-I Staffers Launch Online Newspaper (KING-TV, Seattle)
http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_041509BUB-AP_p-i-staffers-online-paper-JM.d92d348b.html?rss

DIVERSIONS

NASA names treadmill after Colbert
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12146985

Humane Society Blasts Squirrel Slaughter
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10187989

On This Day: “Unsinkable” Titanic Lost After Hitting Iceberg
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/April/Unsinkable-Titanic-Lost-After-Hitting-Iceberg.html

Methuen Man Sells Mold of Tiny Tim's Teeth Online For $1,500
http://www.eagletribune.com/punews/local_story_103013921.html

SONG OF THE DAY

Cripple Creek - The Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4LD-7enIMs

Energy News Digest for April 14, 2009

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

To subscribe, email jmyer@masonpud3.org

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

- Coal Mines Leases Could Mean Riches for Montana
- Alcoa May Slash Output, Jobs at Canada Plant – want wage cuts
- Tracking the Results of Salmon Habitat Restoration
- Columbia Basin (Political) Science
- Oregon - Spring Chinook Salmon Runs Are Now Under Way
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Get a Helping Hand from Kamiakin High
- Port Of Seattle May Offer $7M in Rent Breaks To Help Cut Diesel Soot
- City of Shelton City Seeking Stimulus Money for Sewer Plant
- Spokane's Soap Smugglers Make Clean Getaways
- Meeting set on wind projects in Blue Mountains
- Wind Turbine Imports Increase; Can U.S. Factories Catch Up
- Wind-Energy Certificates: Clean Power or Scam
- FactCheck.org - Hot Air on Wind Energy
- Transmission: 'Green Power Express' gains federal rate
- Pacific Gas & Electric Looks To Solar Panels in Space for
- Solar Incentives: Could Ontario Be the Next Germany?
- Unemployed Seek Training for 'Green Collar' Jobs
- California - State wants to pull plug on energy-guzzling
- Project to Save Energy,
- Oregon Electric Utilities Fight Curbs on Carbon Emissions
- Debate on Energy, Climate Bill to Begin Next Week
- Strange Bedfellows - Getting past square one with climate change
- Intel Oregon: Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Greenwashing
- Risk of EPA Move Smooths Way for U.S. Carbon Law
- 114 Arrested before Protest near UK Coal-Fired Power Station
- Internet Bandwidth Hogs May Soon Pay For It
- The Metered Broadband Math
- Twitter Hit by Series of Worm Attacks
- Washington Cities Appear On Organization's Annual Car Theft Rankings
- WSU Stops Accepting Freshman Applicants
- Olympia Fire Department Rolls Out Plans For New Station

WORD OF THE DAY

Vatic • \VAT-ik\ • adjective - Prophetic, oracular

“In about ten seconds you’re gonna be very sorry you sat there,” intoned Derwood’s seemingly vatic classmate. His seeming awe turned to outright shock as a small drip from the ceiling transformed into a roof-rending hole, dropping gallons of trapped rainwater on the unfortunate student’s head.

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

Coal Mines Leases Could Mean Riches for Montana (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009032374_apmontanacoal.html?syndication=rss

Alcoa May Slash Output, Jobs at Canada Plant “…wants employees to agree to a 15 percent pay cut… other large aluminum companies…have also announced cuts in a drive to balance aluminum supply with shrinking demand…” (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/13/financial/f142906D76.DTL&feed=rss.business

FISH & WILDLIFE

Tracking the Results of Salmon Habitat Restoration (The Columbian, via US News & World Report)
http://www.usnews.com/articles/science/2009/04/13/tracking-the-results-of-salmon-habitat-restoration.html

Columbia Basin (Political) Science - An investigation into the Bonneville Power Administration's influence on salmon research (High Country News)
http://www.hcn.org/issues/41.6/columbia-basin-political-science

Oregon - Spring Chinook Salmon Runs Are Now Under Way on Rogue, Several Other Oregon Rivers (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/sports/outdoors/11649022-44/story.csp

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Get a Helping Hand from Kamiakin High (KNDO-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
http://www.kndu.com/global/story.asp?s=10176975

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Port Of Seattle May Offer $7M in Rent Breaks To Help Cut Diesel Soot (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009028912_porttrucks13m0.html?syndication=rss

City of Shelton City Seeking Stimulus Money for Sewer Plant (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
http://www.masoncountydailynews.com/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1897/smid/3468/ArticleID/6975/reftab/1632/t/CITY-SEEKING-STIMULUS-MONEY-FOR-SEWER-PLANT/Default.aspx

Spokane's Soap Smugglers Make Clean Getaways (Seattle Times)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2009034806_soapsmuggling14.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Meeting set on wind projects in Blue Mountains (Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, WA)
http://union-bulletin.com/articles/2009/04/13/local_news/090413local05windmeet.txt

Wind Turbine Imports Increase; Can U.S. Factories Catch Up? (The News Observer, NC)
http://www.newsobserver.com/1573/story/1485169.html

Wind-Energy Certificates: Clean Power or Scam? (Baltimore Sun, MD)
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2009/04/windenergy_certificates_clean.html

FactCheck.org - Hot Air on Wind Energy: Don't expect wind power to replace coal as the nation's main source of electric power, whatever Obama's interior secretary said
http://www.factcheck.org/politics/hot_air_on_wind_energy.html

Transmission: 'Green Power Express' gains federal rate incentives (NY Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/04/13/13greenwire-green-power-express-gains-federal-rate-incenti-10514.html

Pacific Gas & Electric Looks To Solar Panels in Space for Power (Sacramento Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2009/04/13/daily16.html?ana=from_rss

Solar Incentives: Could Ontario Be the Next Germany? (Should Quebec be concerned? – Renewable Energy World)
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2009/04/solar-incentives-could-ontario-be-the-next-germany?src=rss

Unemployed Seek Training for 'Green Collar' Jobs (Associated Press)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/04/13/national/a133300D68.DTL&feed=rss.business

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

California - State wants to pull plug on energy-guzzling TVs (San Francisco Chronicle)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/14/MNT516V87T.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea

Project to Save Energy, Money - Forest Service employees benefit from economic stimulus package funds (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/living/story/819465.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Oregon Electric Utilities Fight Curbs on Carbon Emissions (The Oregonian, Portland)
http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/04/electric_utilities_fight_curbs.html

Debate on Energy, Climate Bill to Begin Next Week (CNET News)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-10218083-54.html

Strange Bedfellows - Getting past square one with climate change (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/166299.asp?source=pimail

Intel Oregon: Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Greenwashing (It’s Getting Hot in Here)
http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/04/13/intel-oregon-outstanding-achievement-in-corporate-greenwashing/

Risk of EPA Move Smooths Way for U.S. Carbon Law (Reuters)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/behindTheScenes/idUKTRE53C4EG20090413

114 Arrested before Protest near UK Coal-Fired Power Station (Associated Press)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jPxlNseEZs1n3paekE0R_vucrXfgD97HQV9G1

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Internet Bandwidth Hogs May Soon Pay For It (National Public Radio)
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=103041709&ft=1&f=2

The Metered Broadband Math: As Much As $24.59 to Rent “Twilight” (GigaOM)
http://gigaom.com/2009/04/14/the-metered-broadband-math-as-much-as-2459-to-rent-twilight/

Twitter Hit by Series of Worm Attacks (Puget Sound Business Journal)
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2009/04/13/daily3.html?ana=from_rss

GENERAL NEWS

Washington Cities Appear On Organization's Annual Car Theft Rankings (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/crime/2009/04/13/washington_cities_appear_on_organization

WSU Stops Accepting Freshman Applicants (Associated Press)
http://www.theolympian.com/breakingnews/story/819060.html

Olympia Fire Department Rolls Out Plans For New Station - Assistant fire chief to discuss project at council meeting (The Olympian, Olympia, WA)
http://www.theolympian.com/news/story/819287.html

DIVERSIONS

Spokane Parks to Detonate Squirrels
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/42916587.html

Nurse Called Out Of Surgery and Laid Off
http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/42952817.html

Conman Hypnotizes Jeweler, Steals Diamonds
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090413/od_afp/indiacrimeoffbeat_20090413064525;_ylt=AqzRfHWFtMws7jKl_RzHjqKgOrgF

Man lobs $30,000 from cars
http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE53C5AF20090413?feedType=RSS&feedName=oddlyEnoughNews

SONG OF THE DAY

Charlie Parker – Ko-Ko (1947, reportedly the first official bebop recording)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_ZajJd-1kY