ENERGY * Puget Sound Energy buying natural gas plant for $240M http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/09/22/daily19.html <http://seattle.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/09/22/daily19.html> PSE said it plans to buy a 310-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in Southwest Washington for $240 million. "This plant gives us another cost-effective, environmentally friendly source of power for ensuring that our growing region has reliable energy service," said Kimberly Harris, PSE executive vice president and chief resource officer, in a statement. <<Puget Sound Energy buying natural gas plant for $240M - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle).htm>> * Son of the sun saves energy http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/north_sound/mar/lifestyle/29643469.html <http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/north_sound/mar/lifestyle/29643469.html> Solar is making a lot of headway as technology grows in spite of the slow-drip of governmental approval and anti-solar lobbying from coal, gas and oil. In the last 15 years, the efficiency of solar panels has doubled and the cost has been cut in half. FUELS * Sustainable Oils wins nod from regulators for seed-to-feed plan http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008201624_bizb riefs25.html <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2008201624_biz briefs25.html> Sustainable Oils, a joint venture between Seattle-based Targeted Growth and a Houston biodiesel company, said Wednesday it had received federal regulatory approval to use a byproduct of its camelina-seed crops in animal feedstock. The oil-rich camelina seeds are used to produce biodiesel. Turning it into feedstock, the company said, makes it easier to adopt as a rotation crop that does not compete with food-producing grains or seeds. * Snohomish facility gets first loads of canola seed to make biodiesel <http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080924/NEWS01/709249798#Snohomish.fa cility.gets.first.loads.of.canola.seed.to.make.biodiesel <http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20080924/NEWS01/709249798#Snohomish.fa cility.gets.first.loads.of.canola.seed.to.make.biodiesel> > Snohomish County on Tuesday rolled out its first $12 million center to dry and store canola seed, steps needed before turning them into biodiesel. The project is expected to increase local production of the renewable fuel as well as benefit farmers who grow rapeseed, commonly known as canola. * Project looks at biofuel potential of water plant http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008201593_milfoil25.htm l <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008201593_milfoil25.ht ml> Ask boaters, dock owners, swimmers or scientists, and you're likely to get the same answer: Eurasian milfoil is a good-for-nothing pest... Alanna Mitchell, a supervisor with the Pend Oreille Conservation District and her husband, Cesar "Sandy" Clavell, who both have backgrounds in environmental sciences, applied for a grant through the state Department of Ecology. The couple received about $8,000 for initial research. They plan to investigate two methods of extracting oil from the water plants for use in biofuels: distilling and using solvents. What's left of the plant will be composted and tested. CLIMATE * Editorial: Climate Change -- States right http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/380407_climated.html <http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/380407_climated.html> The states must not treat cap-and-trade as a cure-all. We still need tighter emissions rules, better transit and smarter land use. The states also need to outdo the design's loose rules on carbon offsets and the tiny amount of carbon pollution rights to be sold rather than given to business. Gov. Chris Gregoire and other smart Western governors are wise to embrace the plan. On a huge problem, they must keep moving forward urgently, cooperatively and hopefully. * Global warming pollution increases 3 percent <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_sc/warming_emissions;_ylt=ApW qz.qn7.UT0Pb3.x5_kUOs0NUE <http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080925/ap_on_sc/warming_emissions;_ylt=ApW qz.qn7.UT0Pb3.x5_kUOs0NUE> > The world pumped up its pollution of the chief man-made global warming gas last year, setting a course that could push beyond leading scientists' projected worst-case scenario, international researchers said Thursday... That's an amount that exceeds the most dire outlook for emissions from burning coal and oil and related activities as projected by a Nobel Prize-winning group of international scientists in 2007. Bill Smith Senior Environmental Specialist City of Tacoma Solid Waste Management 3510 S. Mullen Street Tacoma, WA 98409 253-593-7719 Phone 253-591-5547 Fax