Friday, March 5, 2010

Energy News Digest for March 5, 2010

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)

·         Low Snowpack Means City Light May Seek Higher Rates
·         Public Meeting on Proposed Shelton-Area ADAGE Biopower Plant Coming
·         Detroit - Protesters to DTE Energy: Don’t Cut Service during Winter
·         Murray Presses Energy Secretary on Yucca Mountain
·         South Carolina Justices Hear Challenge to Nuclear Plant
·         New York - Electricity Bills Could Go Up if Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Sold
·         A Need for New Nukes? “Modular Reactors” for Energy Attract Interest
·         Another Worker Injured in Connecticut Power Plant Explosion Sues
·         Transmission Sticker Shock - Activists See Cape Wind Cost Shock
·         Eastern States Balk at Paying Wind (Energy Transmission) Cost
·         Texas Public Utility Commission Orders Tests of Smart Meters
·         Coupling Solar to Natural Gas, & Hoping for the Best of Both
·         Thousands of Sea Lions Take off from Oregon Coast
·         Cancer Kills Many Sea Lions; & Its Cause Remains a Mystery
·         Big Impact on West if Sage Grouse is Recommended as Protected Species
·         Port of Centralia Supports Lewis County Dams
·         Klamath Water Deal Faces First Big Test
·         Oregon Governor Seeks Aid for Klamath Farmers Ahead of Water Deal
·         Grant PUD Discusses Possible Solar Plant – Could Include Clallam, Lewis & Mason PUDs
·         Wind Farm Faces Oregon Fight – Town of Union Joins the Resistance to Turbines
·         New Oregon Law Targets Older Biomass Plants – Older Plants Would Count
·         Japanese Solar Company Picks Fairview for Oregon Plant
·         California’s RPS – State Senator Reintroduces Legislation for Clean Power
·         Pueblo Chieftain Editorial - Energy Mandates
·         Britain’s Hydro-Electric Projects under Threat from Lack of Funds
·         Clallam PUD to Send CFL Bulbs to Customers
·         Port Orchard Independent Editorial – Energy Saving Plan Focuses on Results
·         Baker City Herald Editorial - Save (Electricity) Now & Later
·         All Those Olympic Peninsula Trees Mean Serious Carbon Storage
·         Interior Department Chooses Alaska for Climate Center
·         Lawmakers Move to Restrain EPA on Climate Change
·         Study Says Undersea Release of Methane is Under Way
·         Minneapolis Star-Tribune Op/Ed - A Science Mea Culpa
·         Claim: San Francisco Giving Gardeners Toxic Sludge
·         NoaNet’s High-Speed Internet Grant Will Extend Access into Columbia Gorge
·         Three Kitsap Libraries to Receive Funds via NoaNet Grant for Internet Upgrades
·         US Lawmakers Question Use of Broadband Stimulus Funds
·         The Top 25 Fastest Broadband Counties
·         ID Insight Releases “Fastest 25” Broadband List
·         Taxpayers Lose Challenge to Google Data Center in North Carolina
·         Google Bandwagon - What Would You Do for Some Google Fiber?
·         Google Bandwagon - Google Broadband: Topeka May be Sorry
·         Google Bandwagon - Petaluma Hopes to be Google’s Test City
·         Google Bandwagon – Tallahassee Democrat: Come on, Google
·         FCC Shout Out - Hey Julius: 100 Mbps to 100 Million Is Not Ambitious
·         Steve Ballmer Speech at UW: “We’re All In” for Cloud Computing
·         Apple iPad to Arrive in Stores on April 3
·         Washington’s State Senate Leader Suggests Income Tax Referendum
·         At Least 36 Die Using Washington State’s New Death with Dignity Law
·         Booth Gardner Film Nominated for Academy Award
·         Boeing to Offer 767 as Next Air Force Tanker
·         Norm Dicks Finally Tapped to Lead Powerful Defense Budget Panel

WORD OF THE DAY

Mea Culpa • \MAY-yuh KULL-pah\ • noun – A formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error – Latin, “through my fault”

“Too late MISTER Brown; too late,” intoned the lump of flesh, otherwise known as the pit boss. “Your mea culpa for cheating the house out of $10 million is laudable,” the corpulent supervisor murmured softly, his words wafting through the darkened room like the smoke of rancid incense. “Fortunately for us, you DO have a future in this casino. Unfortunately for you, it will be as a stack of poker chips,” the Jabba-like personage cackled. “Take him away lads.”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Low Snowpack Means City Light May Seek Higher Rates – “…Other regional utilities…say this year’s low snowpack is not forcing rate increases. They depend less on hydroelectric power & wholesale sales revenue…” (Seattle Times)

Public Meeting on Proposed Shelton-Area ADAGE Biopower Plant Coming (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Detroit - Protesters to DTE Energy: Don’t Cut Service during Winter (Detroit Free Press, MI)

Murray Presses Energy Secretary on Yucca Mountain (Tri-City Herald, WA)

South Carolina Justices Hear Challenge to Nuclear Plant (Associated Press)

New York - Electricity Bills Could Go Up if Indian Point Nuclear Plant Is Sold (NY Daily News)

A Need for New Nukes? “Modular Reactors” for Energy Attract Interest (Scientific American)

Another Worker Injured in Connecticut Power Plant Explosion Sues (Associated Press)

Transmission Sticker Shock - Activists See Cape Wind Cost Shock: Report projects $10B for ‘green’ power system upgrades (Boston Herald, MA)

Eastern States Balk at Paying Wind (Energy Transmission) Cost (Des Moines Register, IA)

Texas Public Utility Commission Orders Tests of Smart Meters (Dallas Morning News, TX)

Coupling Solar to Natural Gas, & Hoping for the Best of Both (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Thousands of Sea Lions Take off from Oregon Coast (Associated Press)

Cancer Kills Many Sea Lions; & Its Cause Remains a Mystery (NY Times)

Big Impact on West if Sage Grouse is Recommended as Protected Species (Seattle Times)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Port of Centralia Supports Lewis County Dams (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Klamath Water Deal Faces First Big Test (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Oregon Governor Seeks Aid for Klamath Farmers Ahead of Water Deal (The Oregonian, Portalnd)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY


Wind Farm Faces Oregon Fight – Town of Union Joins the Resistance to Turbines (The Oregonian, Portland)

New Oregon Law Targets Older Biomass Plants - Would allow energy from facilities to count toward renewable energy requirements (Portland Business Journal)

Japanese Solar Company Picks Fairview for Oregon Plant (The Oregonian, Portland)

California’s RPS – State Senator Reintroduces Legislation for Clean Power (Associated Press)

Pueblo Chieftain Editorial - Energy Mandates “…the Colorado Legislature is overreaching…to mandate that renewables generate 30% of electricity in the state by 2020…”

Britain’s Hydro-Electric Projects under Threat from Lack of Funds (The Telegraph, UK)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Clallam PUD to Send CFL Bulbs to Customers (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Port Orchard Independent Editorial – Energy Saving Plan Focuses on Results, Not Consensus

Baker City Herald Editorial - Save (Electricity) Now & Later

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

All Those Olympic Peninsula Trees Mean Serious Carbon Storage - Olympic among region’s national forests atop US ranking (Olympian, WA)

Interior Department Chooses Alaska for Climate Center (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

Lawmakers Move to Restrain EPA on Climate Change (Washington Post)

Study Says Undersea Release of Methane is Under Way – Could set off potentially significant increases in global warming (NY Times)

Minneapolis Star-Tribune Op/Ed - A Science Mea Culpa: “Climategate” has left global warming scientists engaging their critics & explaining their work.

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Claim: San Francisco Giving Gardeners Toxic Sludge (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

NoaNet’s High-Speed Internet Grant Will Extend Access into Columbia Gorge (The Columbian, Vancouver, WA)

Three Kitsap Libraries to Receive Funds via NoaNet Grant for Internet Upgrades (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

US Lawmakers Question Use of Broadband Stimulus Funds (PC World)

The Top 25 Fastest Broadband Counties (Broadband Reports)

ID Insight Releases “Fastest 25” Broadband List (ID Insight - Thurston, Snohomish, Island Counties? What?)

Taxpayers Lose Challenge to Google Data Center in North Carolina (Courthouse News Service)

Google Bandwagon - What Would You Do for Some Google Fiber? (Motley Fool)

Google Bandwagon - Google Broadband: Topeka May be Sorry (PC World)

Google Bandwagon - Petaluma Hopes to be Google’s Test City (Petaluma Argus-Courier, CA)

Google Bandwagon – Tallahassee Democrat: Come on, Google; Tallahassee is a place to test innovation

FCC Shout Out - Hey Julius: 100 Mbps to 100 Million Is Not Ambitious (Broadband Reports)

Steve Ballmer Speech at UW: “We’re All In” for Cloud Computing (Seattle Times)

Apple iPad to Arrive in Stores on April 3 (NY Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington’s State Senate Leader Suggests Income Tax Referendum (Associated Press)

At Least 36 Die Using Washington State’s New Death with Dignity Law (Seattle Times)

Booth Gardner Film Nominated for Academy Award (Associated Press)

Boeing to Offer 767 as Next Air Force Tanker (KING-TV, Seattle)

Norm Dicks Finally Tapped to Lead Powerful Defense Budget Panel (Seattle Times)

DIVERSIONS

Bremerton Council Says No to Chickens

By Request (Please Make It Stop!): Oregon DMV Pulling Plug on Muzak in Several Offices

For Psychic, Suit Came as Surprise

SONG OF THE DAY

Brian Hyland - Gypsy Woman

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Energy News Digest for March 4, 2010

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)

·         Autopsy Shows Elma Man Was Electrocuted Through Hand, Not Urine
·         Idaho Power Co. Raises Rates for Oregon Customers
·         Oregon - Pacific Power Seeks 20 Percent Hike in Electricity Rates
·         Seattle City Light Rates to Go Up, Thanks to El Nino
·         Juanita Neighbors, Puget Sound Energy at Odds over Health Risks from Power Lines
·         Detroit - Illegal Power Hookup Resumed Hours before Fatal Fire
·         Detroit - Second Illegal Hookup Restored Power Just Before Fatal Fire
·         Greenpeace Admits Using ‘Dirty’ Power
·         Forbes Columnist - Utility Grid Battle Breaks Open, Threatening Wind Development
·         Vermont - Town Finds Good Neighbor in Nuclear Plant
·         Study Says Hydropower in the United States Has Potential to Quadruple Capacity
·         Philippines - Power Cuts from Drought Will Hit Manila
·         Natural Gas Levels Drop Less Than Expected
·         New York - Westchester Snowstorm Is Bonanza for Tree Removers
·         Sea Lion Put to Death as Trapping Begins Again
·         Good Columbia River Chinook Returns
·         Black Market Caviar Tempts Columbia River Sturgeon Poachers
·         State Targets Rochester Landowner’s Pocket Gopher Battle
·         Inspector Says US Fishery Officer Shredded Documents
·         Mason PUD 1 Says Union Ridge Water Customers Need to Conserve
·         Snow a Bit Scarce, But Reservoirs OK
·         Olympian Editorial – Flooding: Time for Action in Chehalis River Valley
·         California - Water Supply: So Far, Snow Good
·         Idaho - Tribe, Feds Sue Mine for Massive Pollution
·         Lakewood Hydrants May Cost City
·         Blades Arrive for Coastal Community Action Program’s Grayland Wind Energy Project
·         Wyoming to Tax Wind Power as Many States Court Clean Energy
·         Gasification Plant to be Built at Oregon Landfill
·         Montana - County Pitches Biomass Energy Projects
·         Democratic Senators Say Stimulus is Aiding Clean-Energy Jobs Overseas
·         Will US Companies be Shut out of Clean-Tech Markets by China & Other Competitors?
·         Questions Swirl around Wind-Jobs Studies
·         Study Says Wind Energy Keeps Iowa Power Costs Down – How?
·         Solar Panels Are Not Fashion Accessories
·         Florida - Test Plant Powered by Horse Manure
·         Oregonian Op/Ed - Energy Efficiency: The Key to Our Clean Energy Future
·         Going Green on a Tight Budget Gets a Boost in Portland
·         Google Opens PowerMeter to Energy Monitors
·         California Drops ‘Carbon Credits for Clearcuts’
·         CO2 Projects Suffer in ‘Unstable’ Market, Baker & McKenzie Says
·         Darwin Foes Add Warming to Targets
·         Nissan Ready for Electric Vehicle Offensive
·         Biomass Brouhaha – California Complaints about Wood Fires on No-Burn Days Up
·         Solar Energy With Jewel-Like Curtains on Windows
·         Seattle #3, Portland #10 - America’s Most Wired Cities
·         Interactive: America’s Most Wired Cities
·         Port Angeles Paying for Internet at Building With No Computers
·         Data, Data Everywhere - Information Has Gone from Scarce to Superabundant
·         Yahoo CEO Indicates Turnaround Could Take Years
·         Analyst Says FCC Simply Unwilling to Stand Up to Major Carriers
·         Time Warner Cable: We Raise Broadband Rates Because We Can
·         Getting the Most out of Twitter
·         Google Bandwagon - Bainbridge Joins Pursuit of Google Broadband Network
·         Google Bandwagon – Delaware, Ohio Hopes It Can Woo Google ‘Experiment’
·         State Traffic Fatalities Lowest in More Than 50 Years
·         Mason FD 5 Fire District Seeks More Information before Deciding on Medic One Purchase
·         Public Radio Poll Says 64% Washingtonians Oppose Democrats’ Suspension of I-960
·         WA Farmers Say Killing Tax Exemption Could Drive Them out of Business
·         TV Industry Faces Massive LED Shortage

WORD OF THE DAY

Exigent • \ECK-suh-jent\ • adjective – 1: requiring immediate aid or action 2: requiring or calling for much

“Jobs are on the line,” bellowed the attendee at the public meeting. “The inability to get enough energy supply has created exigent circumstances. We need that power to melt our plastics for the production of professional grade tiddlywinks products for the upcoming pro-am season!” The Chinese delegation, sitting on a tiddlywink chip surplus, was inscrutable.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Autopsy Shows Elma Man Was Electrocuted Through Hand, Not Urine (Associated Press)

Idaho Power Co. Raises Rates for Oregon Customers - Residential customers will pay 26 percent more, & irrigators 27.9 percent more (Baker City Herald, OR)

Oregon - Pacific Power Seeks 20 Percent Hike in Electricity Rates (The Oregonian, Portland)

Seattle City Light Rates to Go Up, Thanks to El Nino (KING-TV, Seattle)

Juanita Neighbors, Puget Sound Energy at Odds over Health Risks from Power Lines (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Detroit - Illegal Power Hookup Resumed Hours before Fatal Fire (Detroit Free Press, MI)

Detroit - Second Illegal Hookup Restored Power Just Before Fatal Fire - Detroit authorities investigating cause (Detroit Free Press, MI)

Greenpeace Admits Using ‘Dirty’ Power - Greenpeace has admitted that its hosting operations are powered by coal & nuclear power (E-Week, Europe)

Forbes Columnist - Utility Grid Battle Breaks Open, Threatening Wind Development

Vermont - Town Finds Good Neighbor in Nuclear Plant (NY Times)

Study Says Hydropower in the United States Has Potential to Quadruple Capacity (Hydro World)

Philippines - Power Cuts from Drought Will Hit Manila (NY Times)

Natural Gas Levels Drop Less Than Expected (Associated Press)

New York - Westchester Snowstorm Is Bonanza for Tree Removers (NY Times)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Sea Lion Put to Death as Trapping Begins Again (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

Good Columbia River Chinook Returns Should Create Decent Opportunities off the Coast this Summer (Seattle Times)

Black Market Caviar Tempts Columbia River Sturgeon Poachers (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)

State Targets Rochester Landowner’s Pocket Gopher Battle - Man accused of illegal trapping (Olympian, WA)

Inspector Says US Fishery Officer Shredded Documents (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Mason PUD 1 Says Union Ridge Water Customers Need to Conserve (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Snow a Bit Scarce, But Reservoirs OK (Baker City Herald, OR)

Olympian Editorial – Flooding: Time for Action in Chehalis River Valley

California - Water Supply: So Far, Snow Good (SF Chronicle)

Idaho - Tribe, Feds Sue Mine for Massive Pollution (Courthouse News Service)

Lakewood Hydrants May Cost City - Water District seeks compensation for maintenance based on state court decision (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Turbine Blades Arrive for Coastal Community Action Program’s Grayland Wind Energy Project (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

Wyoming to Tax Wind Power as Many States Court Clean Energy (USA Today)

Gasification Plant to be Built at Oregon Landfill (Associated Press)

Montana - County Pitches Biomass Energy Projects (Independent Record, Helena, MT)


Democratic Senators Say Stimulus is Aiding Clean-Energy Jobs Overseas (Washington Post)

Will US Companies be Shut out of Clean-Tech Markets by China & Other Competitors? (NY Times)

Questions Swirl around Wind-Jobs Studies (Chicago Tribune, IL)

Study Says Wind Energy Keeps Iowa Power Costs Down – How? (Associated Press)

Solar Panels Are Not Fashion Accessories - Economies of scale in manufacturing are causing rapid reductions in costs & solar energy has a bright future (The Guardian, UK)

Florida - Test Plant Powered by Horse Manure (Tampa Bay Tribune, FL)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Oregonian Op/Ed - Energy Efficiency: The Key to Our Clean Energy Future

Going Green on a Tight Budget Gets a Boost in Portland (The Oregonian, Portland)

Google Opens PowerMeter to Energy Monitors (C/NET News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

California Drops ‘Carbon Credits for Clearcuts’ (Courthouse News Service)

CO2 Projects Suffer in ‘Unstable’ Market, Baker & McKenzie Says (Business Week)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Darwin Foes Add Warming to Targets (NY Times)

Nissan Ready for Electric Vehicle Offensive (Associated Press)

Biomass Brouhaha – California Complaints about Wood Fires on No-Burn Days Up (Associated Press)

Solar Energy With Jewel-Like Curtains on Windows (Associated Press)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Seattle #3, Portland #10 - America’s Most Wired Cities (Forbes Magazine)

Interactive: America’s Most Wired Cities (Forbes Magazine)

Port Angeles Paying for Internet at Building With No Computers - close to $15,000 spent over 7 years (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Data, Data Everywhere - Information Has Gone from Scarce to Superabundant (Economist Magazine)

Yahoo CEO Indicates Turnaround Could Take Years (Associated Press)

Analyst Says FCC Simply Unwilling to Stand Up to Major Carriers (Broadband Reports)

Time Warner Cable: We Raise Broadband Rates Because We Can (Broadband Reports)

Getting the Most out of Twitter (NY Times)

Google Bandwagon - Bainbridge Joins Pursuit of Google Broadband Network (Bainbridge Island Review, WA)

Google Bandwagon – Delaware, Ohio hopes it can woo Google ‘experiment’ (Delaware News, OH)

GENERAL NEWS

State Traffic Fatalities Lowest in More Than 50 Years (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Mason FD 5 Fire District Seeks More Information before Deciding on Medic One Purchase (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Public Radio Poll Says 64% Washingtonians Oppose Democrats’ Suspension of I-960 (Oregon Public Radio)

WA Farmers Say Killing Tax Exemption Could Drive Them out of Business (KING-TV, Seattle)

TV Industry Faces Massive LED Shortage (NY Times)

DIVERSIONS

Audio Indicates Kid Directed Planes at NY Airport

UW Class Tests Flight of Helium-Filled Football

It’s Time to Get Your Zoo Doo

Aggressive Hawk Steals Hat, Attacks Woman

SONG OF THE DAY

Happy Birthday Vivaldi: John Williams - Lute D Major Concerto