The Energy News Digest: 09/07/10

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Energy News Digest for September 7, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

Regional River Managers Discuss Future Columbia Water Issues (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_ce19746a-b705-11df-9b64-001cc4c002e0.html

Yakima - It’s a Case of Biomass Catch-22 “…biomass power industry annually removes nearly 70 million tons of forest debris in this country while generating 15 million mega-watt hours of electricity…” (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/09/04/it-s-a-case-of-biomass-catch-22

Wind Power Wanes with Fading Federal Incentives (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129632055

Germany

to Extend Its Use of Nuclear Plants (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012827069_nukes07.html

Pacific Gas & Electric – Readers Say Smart Meters Interfere With Baby Monitors, Other Household Gadgets (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_16007725

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

· Regional River Managers Discuss Future Columbia Water Issues

· Pacific Power Seeks Input on Transmission Line’s Route

· Benton PUD Customers Will be Paying More (For Electricity)

· Oregon - Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative to Up Fees for Late Payments

· Out of Several Proposed Natural Gas Pipelines in Oregon, Only One Moves Forward

· Work Starts on Biggest Electrical Transmission Line Project in Southern California History

· Pacific Gas & Electric’s Smart Meters Work Fine, Independent Study Says

· Pacific Gas & Electric – Readers Say Smart Meters Interfere With Baby Monitors, Other Household Gadgets

Germany

to Extend Its Use of Nuclear Plants

· Water Could be Issue With Western Kansas Coal Plant

· Duke Energy Boosts Use of Natural Gas at Power Plants

· New Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Utility Poles Overshadow Annual Meeting

· Tennessee Valley Authority Ranks in Top 10 for Economic Development for Fifth Straight Year

· British Columbia Salmon Fisheries Closing After Record Run

· Elwha Project Expected to Blast Open Nature’s Door to Bountiful Fish Runs

· Elwha Restoration: Will We See the Legendary 100-Pound Chinook?

· Pacific Northwest Tribes Open Fall Commercial Fishery

· Puyallup Fish-Camp Raid Etched in State History

· Sockeye Salmon Die at Oregon Hatchery

· Biologists Fear Time Running Out for Columbia River Lamprey

· Gene-Engineered Salmon Safe to Eat, FDA Study Says

· Twenty Years Later, Spotted Owl Still in Trouble

· Alaska Moves to Take Sea Lions Off Threatened List

· Puget Sound Agency Leaving Olympia - Puget Sound Partnership

· Fixing the Group That’s Supposed to Fix Puget Sound

· Millions in Grants Go to Puget Sound Science

· Oregon - Where Dams Once Stood, Prospectors Spur Anger

· Clallam County PUD Gets $2 Million for Fairview Water Project

· Editorial - Victoria, BC Needs to Get Real About Sewage Pollution

· Wind Power Wanes with Fading Federal Incentives

· Massachusetts - Cape Wind Power Deal Brings Fight to Utility Panel

· Tech Fixes to Wind Turbine-Radar Conflict Face Hurdles

· Investing in Wind Power Is Smart — But Not How We’re Doing It

· Mafia Cashes in on Lucrative EU Wind Farm Handouts - Especially in Sicily

· Oregon – Eugene-Area Landfill Energy Plan Stalled

· Yakima - It’s a Case of Biomass Catch-22

· Lake Tahoe - Biomass Plant Raises Concerns in Kings Beach

· Arizona - Maricopa County Site to be Home of New Biomass Green Energy Plant

Canada

- Nexterra to Install Biomass System at University Of British Columbia

· Foreign Investors Sought for Vermont Biomass Power Projects

United Kingdom

- Recycled Oil to be Turned into Electricity

· Tacoma Power Company Boosts State Rebates

· Energy Efficient Heaters & the Federal Energy Tax Credit

· Texas - Appliance Rebates, Round Two

· Best states for energy efficiency – Oregon 21, Washington 22

· Light Bulbs: The More Efficient They Get, the More Light We Use

· EPA to Issue More Rules in Climate Fight

· Editorial - President Obama Is Right to Back Lawsuit of Carbon Emissions

· Former Skeptic Offers Ideas on Climate Change

· Bjorn Lomborg’s Climate Change Sparks Environment Debate

· Facebook Reacts to Greenpeace Anti-Coal Campaign

· Electric Vehicles: What You Need to Know about Home Charging

· Op/Ed - The Environmental Movement in Retreat

· How Green Is Telecommuting?

· NoaNet to improve Whitman County internet over next three years

· Internet Access, Funding Hamper Alaska Students

· Illinois - British Company Seeks to Place Fiber Optic Cable in Quincy Sewer Lines for Pilot Program

· Texas Attorney General to Investigate Complaints about Google’s Search Engine

· Smart Phone App Lets You Check Traffic Using Phone

· Emerging Economies Will Quickly Add Heft to Global Internet

· No Recession Here: Election Spending Sets Records

· Initiative Campaigns Attract $30 Million in State

· Cowlitz Economic Council Signals Major Shift in Development Strategy

· Washington State Economist Delivers Grim Economic News

· Record Corn Shipment Departs Grays Harbor Port for Saudi Arabia

· USS Olympia, One-of-a-Kind Steel Cruiser, Battles for Survival

· Matsutake Mushroom Season Opening in Oregon National Forests

· Sovereign Citizen Movement - Feds Accuse Western Washington Man of Counterfeiting Treasury Checks

WORD OF THE DAY

Paranymph • \ PAIR-uh-nimf\ • noun - 1: a friend going with a bridegroom to fetch home the bride in ancient Greece; also: the bridesmaid conducting the bride to the bridegroom 2a: best man b: bridesmaid

Dirk Squarejaw was miffed. He was honored to be named Oswald Slugfest’s best man, but when he was repeatedly referred to by the wedding planner as “that hulking paranymph” he reached his limit. Confronting the whisper thin city slicker, he was ignorant of the three straight Olympic medals for karate that clinked musically over the planner’s sunken chest.

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/forecast/mapclick.php?textfield1=47.213805&textfield2=-123.113412&site=all&smap=1&searchresult=shelton%2c%20wa%2c%20usa

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Regional River Managers Discuss Future Columbia Water Issues (The Missoulian, MT)

http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/article_ce19746a-b705-11df-9b64-001cc4c002e0.html

Pacific Power Seeks Input on Transmission Line’s Route (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/09/05/pacific-power-seeks-input-on-transmission-line-s-route

Benton PUD Customers Will be Paying More (For Electricity) (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=13093691

Oregon - Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative to Up Fees for Late Payments (Curry County Reporter, Gold Beach, OR)

http://www.currycountyreporter.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=6400

Out of Several Proposed Natural Gas Pipelines in Oregon, Only One Moves Forward (Oregonian, Portland)

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2010/09/out_of_seven_natural_gas_pipel.html

Work Starts on Biggest Electrical Transmission Line Project in Southern California History (Pasadena Star News, CA)

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_16008367

Pacific Gas & Electric’s Smart Meters Work Fine, Independent Study Says (USA Today)

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2010-09-03-smartgrid03_ST_N.htm

Pacific Gas & Electric – Readers Say Smart Meters Interfere With Baby Monitors, Other Household Gadgets (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_16007725

Germany

to Extend Its Use of Nuclear Plants (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012827069_nukes07.html

Water Could be Issue With Western Kansas Coal Plant (Associated Press)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gde8nRGma8wPehJTvsUALYON66hgD9I2HCMG4

Duke Energy Boosts Use of Natural Gas at Power Plants - New strategy speeds conversion of aging plants to natural gas (Charlotte Business Journal)

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2010/09/06/story11.html

New Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative Utility Poles Overshadow Annual Meeting (The Recorder, Prince Frederick, MD)

http://www.somdnews.com/stories/09032010/rectop174408_32368.shtml

Tennessee Valley Authority Ranks in Top 10 for Economic Development for Fifth Straight Year (Electric Energy Online)

http://www.electricenergyonline.com/?page=show_news&rss=1&id=139542

Here’s a link to the top utilities ranking (Site Selection Magazine)

http://www.siteselection.com/features/2010/sep/Top-Utilities/

FISH & WILDLIFE

British Columbia Salmon Fisheries Closing After Record Run (CTV News)

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100905/bc-salmon-fisheries-100905/20100905?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

Elwha Project Expected to Blast Open Nature’s Door to Bountiful Fish Runs (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/sep/04/elwha-project-expected-open-natures-door/

Elwha Restoration: Will We See the Legendary 100-Pound Chinook? (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/sep/04/elwha-restoration-will-we-see-100-pound-chinook/

Pacific Northwest Tribes Open Fall Commercial Fishery (Indian Country Today)

http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northwest/4-tribes-open-fall-commercial-fishery-102061638.html

Puyallup Fish-Camp Raid Etched in State History (Seattle Times)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012827306_fishwar07m.html

Sockeye Salmon Die at Oregon Hatchery (Associated Press)

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/sep/04/sockeye-salmon-die-at-oregon-hatchery/

Biologists Fear Time Running Out for Columbia River Lamprey (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/09/05/1329010/biologists-fear-time-running-out.html

Gene-Engineered Salmon Safe to Eat, FDA Study Says (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/09/04/1358320/gene-engineered-salmon-safe-to.html

Twenty Years Later, Spotted Owl Still in Trouble (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/09/07/1330657/20-years-later-spotted-owl-still.html

Alaska Moves to Take Sea Lions Off Threatened List (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2010/09/02/1436926/alaska-moves-to-delist-eastern.html

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Puget Sound Agency Leaving Olympia - Puget Sound Partnership: Centralization at Tacoma’s Center for Urban Waters nearly done (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/09/05/1359151/sound-agency-leaving-town.html

Fixing the Group That’s Supposed to Fix Puget Sound - The Puget Sound Partnership is broken, but the Sound really needs better eco-monitoring & new land-use patterns (Crosscut Seattle)

http://crosscut.com/2010/09/07/puget-sound/20127/Fixing-the-group-that-s-supposed-to-fix-Puget-Sound/

Millions in Grants Go to Puget Sound Science (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/09/04/1358353/millions-in-grants-go-to-puget.html

Oregon - Where Dams Once Stood, Prospectors Spur Anger (NY Times)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/04/us/04dams.html

Clallam County PUD Gets $2 Million for Fairview Water Project (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100905/news/309059973/clallam-county-pud-gets-2-million-for-fairview-water-project

Editorial - Victoria, BC Needs to Get Real About Sewage Pollution (Olympian, WA)

http://www.theolympian.com/2010/09/07/1360690/victoria-bc-needs-to-get-real.html

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Wind Power Wanes with Fading Federal Incentives (National Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129632055

Massachusetts - Cape Wind Power Deal Brings Fight to Utility Panel (Associated Press)

http://wbztv.com/wireapnewsnh/Cape.Wind.fight.2.1898717.html

Tech Fixes to Wind Turbine-Radar Conflict Face Hurdles (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20015611-54.html

Investing in Wind Power Is Smart — But Not How We’re Doing It (Wired)

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/08/st_essay_windpower/

Mafia Cashes in on Lucrative EU Wind Farm Handouts - Especially in Sicily (Telegraph, UK)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/renewableenergy/7981737/Mafia-cash-in-on-lucrative-EU-wind-farm-handouts-especially-in-Sicily.html

Oregon - Landfill Energy Plan Stalled: Lane County & Emerald People’s Utility District Have Not Been Able to reach an agreement for new solar & methane operation (Eugene Register-Guard, OR)

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/25216604-41/county-electricity-energy-gas-landfill.csp

http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories/2010/09/04/it-s-a-case-of-biomass-catch-22

Lake Tahoe - Biomass Plant Raises Concerns in Kings Beach (Tahoe Daily Tribune, South Lake Tahoe, CA)

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20100903/NEWS/100909912/1002&parentprofile=1056

Arizona - Maricopa County Site to be Home of New Green Energy Plant: Plan presented to wide support at council meeting (Maricopa Monitor, AZ)

http://www.trivalleycentral.com/articles/2010/09/05/maricopa_monitor/top_stories/doc4c80093110b02950211591.txt

Canada

- Nexterra to Install Biomass System at University of British Columbia (Solid Waste & Recycling Magazine)

http://www.solidwastemag.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000383774

Foreign Investors Sought for Vermont Biomass Power Projects – Backers may hope to lure foreign investors with the promise of a US residency permit (Burlington Free Press, VT)

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100903/NEWS01/100903018/Foreign-investors-sought-for-Vermont-power-projects

United Kingdom

- Recycled Oil to be Turned into Electricity (The Press, UK)

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/8372308.Recycled_oil_to_be_turned_into_electricity/

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Tacoma Power Company Boosts State Rebates (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/09/04/1327589/power-company-boosts-state-rebates.html

Energy Efficient Heaters & the Federal Energy Tax Credit (PR-USA)

http://pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=479413&Itemid=30

Texas - Appliance Rebates, Round Two: This time, a mail-in program is expected to reduce frustration (Houston Chronicle, TX)

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/energy/7184319.html

Best states for energy efficiency – Oregon 21, Washington 22 (Renewable Energy World)

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2010/09/best-states-for-energy-efficiency?cmpid=rss

Light Bulbs: The More Efficient They Get, the More Light We Use (Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/weekly/20100906_GreenSpace__Lightbulbs__The_more_efficient_they_get__the_more_light_we_use.html

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

EPA to Issue More Rules in Climate Fight (Reuters)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6814Y620100902?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Editorial - President Obama Is Right to Back Lawsuit of Carbon Emissions (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/06/AR2010090603086.html

Former Skeptic Offers Ideas on Climate Change (Nat’l Public Radio)

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129635638&ft=1&f=2

Bjorn Lomborg’s Climate Change Sparks Environment Debate (USA Today)

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/09/bjorn-lomborg-climate-changes-mind/1?csp=34tech

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Facebook Reacts to Greenpeace Anti-Coal Campaign (CNET News)

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-20015522-54.html

Electric Vehicles: What You Need to Know about Home Charging - A charging station installed in the will likely require a permit & signoff from your local building inspector (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_15977162

Op/Ed - The Environmental Movement in Retreat (Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/03/AR2010090304151.html

How Green Is Telecommuting? (Slate Magazine)

http://www.slate.com/id/2264177/

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

NoaNet to improve Whitman County internet over next three years (The Daily Evergreen, Pullman, WA)

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/32215

Internet Access, Funding Hamper Alaska Students (Anchorage Daily News, AK)

http://www.adn.com/2010/09/03/1438001/internet-access-funding-hamper.html

Illinois - British Company Seeks to Place Fiber Optic Cable in Quincy Sewer Lines for Pilot Program (Quincy Herald-Whig, IL)

http://www.whig.com/story/news/i3-Fiberoptics-090310