en-us Copyright Sightline Daily - all rights reserved newsfeeds@sightline.org newsfeeds@sightline.org Most recent headlines about Energy and Washington from Sightline Daily, the Northwest news that matters http://daily.sightline.org Plone http://daily.sightline.org/logo.gif 427 69 With gasoline approaching $4.50 a gallon, Washington State University researcher Jon Johnson finds himself in a scramble to extract ethanol from fast-growing poplar trees. It's a new field in the world of business and industry, but the search for fuel from hybrid poplars is far from new to Johnson, 55, of Puyallup. http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/2008/07/07072008_Poplar-trees-hold-promise-for-fuel.cfm Energy Environment Sustainable Living Washington 07/07/2008 Vancouver Columbian As gas prices climb, homebuyers increasingly will choose to live closer to work, and that eventually will depress suburban home prices while strengthening in-city values, a Portland economist predicts. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008036634_housegas07.html Economy Energy Sprawl & Transportation Oregon United States Washington 07/07/2008 Seattle Times The federal agencies are back for a fifth round in federal court, still cooking up very strained arguments for minimal efforts to save the fish. Two things might change the impasse: a new case for saving dams due to climate change, and the bestirring of Congress. http://www.crosscut.com/animals-wildlife/15565/Salmon+on+the+Columbia%3A+See+you+in+court/ Energy Environment Salmon United States Washington 07/07/2008 Crosscut A small group of Snohomish County farmers will soon receive federal funds to boost its ability to grow and store large quantities of crops for use in making biodiesel. The Sno/Sky Agriculture Alliance of Monroe will spend its $96,806 grant on constructing facilities for canola, mustard and other oilseed crops harvested by its six members. http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080705/NEWS01/629787965#Grant.spurs.Monroe.farmers.groups.work.on.crops.for.biodiesel Energy Environment Food & Farms Sustainable Living Washington 07/07/2008 Everett Herald Columbia Basin river managers had a close call this week when they were forced to cut back on hydropower after a surge in wind energy blasted through the system. The surge forced them to spill more water over dams, risking the health of migrating fish. For the first time, it also exposed serious kinks in a plan that was supposed to deal smoothly with just such emergencies. http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1215226547277170.xml&coll=7 Energy Environment Salmon Oregon Washington 07/05/2008 Portland Oregonian Gas prices are now averaging $4.35 per gallon statewide. That's up $1.27 in the past year. The pain at the pump is causing more people to ride city buses in Seattle and King County. It's also about to cause another fare hike from Metro Transit. http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1312217 Energy Environment Sprawl & Transportation Washington 07/04/2008 KPLU One day Washingtonians could see clean energy harnessed from the state's tides and volcanos, supplementing already abundant hydroelectricity. In the meantime, Snohomish County PUD and other electricity providers are expanding efforts to conserve existing power resources. http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080707/NEWS01/69225176#Conserve.and.you.can.save.PUD.says Energy Environment Washington 07/07/2008 Everett Herald The Sound Transit board is expected to decide this month whether to bring another project proposal to the ballot in November or to wait, perhaps until 2010. Given the plans currently being considered, essentially scaled-down versions of the plan voters rejected as part of a regional roads and transit measure last year, the board should slam on the brakes, take recent ridership growth into account and come up with a plan that addresses today's urgent needs while still planning for the future. http://heraldnet.com/article/20080706/OPINION01/794832175#Sound.Transit.must.meet.immediate.needs Energy Environment Sprawl & Transportation Washington 07/06/2008 Everett Herald British Columbia has signed up four U.S. states for its Pacific Coast Collaborative initiative. The group, which also includes Alaska, Washington, Oregon and California, will focus on clean energy, regional transportation, research and development, a sustainable economy and emergency management. Most parties to the new collaboration are also core members of the Western Climate Initiative. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080702.BCPACIFIC02/TPStory/TPNational/BritishColumbia/ Energy Environment Policy Solutions Sustainable Living Alaska British Columbia California Canada Oregon US Northwest Washington 07/02/2008 Toronto Globe and Mail