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.
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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Oregon - Rates Set to Jump for Pacific Power, Portland General Electric Customers in January (Oregonian, Portland)
Analyzing the ‘California Effect’ on the Pacific Northwest’s Wind Power Boom (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)
Power Paradox - Getting Enough Electricity into Pendleton for a Data Processing Center May Not be Possible, But Some Say That’s Not a Problem (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)
State’s Environmental Agencies Called on to Change to Respond to Budget Concerns (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Communities Vying for New Washington State Prison Center (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Oregon - Rates Set to Jump for Pacific Power, Portland General Electric Customers in January
· Oregon - Eugene Water & Electric Board Faces Power Struggles
· Southern Montana Electric Approves 4.5 Percent Rate Hike
· Editorial - Cheers & Jeers: Clark PUD Commission Envisions No Rate Increase
· Power Paradox - Getting Enough Electricity into Pendleton for a Data Processing Center
· Bonneville Power Administration - Good News
· Idaho - Salmon River Electric Cooperative Board, Staff Debate Member Power Generation
· Editorial - Eyes Back on Yucca: Proposed Nuclear Waste Dump in Nevada Should be Re-Examined, Court Rules
· Editorial - Good News for a Bad (Nuclear) Waste Situation
· Southern California Edison Moving Ahead With Smart Meter Rollout
· US Sees Smaller Role for Canada in Energy Supply
· US Munis & Co-Ops Say They’ll Push for CREB Renewal Next Year
· Fishing Prospects for 2011 Look Similar to Upbeat 2010
· Record Bycatch of Salmon in Gulf of Alaska Sparks Concern: Impacts on PNW Fish Unknown
· Experts Say Obama Spotted Owl Plan Still Not Right
· PPL Sells Hydroelectric Assets in Maine to River Restoration Trust – Facilities to be Removed
· State’s Environmental Agencies Called on to Change to Respond to Budget Concerns
· Lower Monumental Dam Lock Closed - Shutdown Longest in Columbia-Snake River System
· Corps to Release Water Behind Willamette Valley Dams to Make Room for More Rain
· Sensitive Columbia River Island Outed by Researcher
· Yakima Basin Water Plan Flowing
· Lake Tapps Water Deal Finalized
· Analyzing the ‘California Effect’ on the Pacific Northwest’s Wind Power Boom
· Oregon - Walden, Other Lawmakers Seek EPA Changes to Biomass Rules
· Arizona Wind Farm Appeal Likely
· Wind Turbines May Aid Crops, Scientist Says
· Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Researchers Measuring Winds for Power
· Alaska Students Study Wind Energy as Turbines Gain Favor
· Tennessee Valley Authority Expecting Windfall of Green-Energy Credits
· Canada - Run-of-River Projects Near Harrison Lake Rile Whitewater Kayakers
· Big Florida Biomass Plant Gains Backing
· Visions of Energy Efficiency Danced in Their Heads
· Google PowerMeter Tracks Home Electricity Via Wi-Fi
· Rockefeller, Murkowski Eyeing Chances to Block EPA Climate Rules Next Year
· North Dakota - Basin Electric Power Cooperative Shelves Lignite’s First Carbon Capture Project
· Editorial - California Leads Way on Global Warming
· Wave of Electric Vehicles Gaining Momentum
· How Green Is Your Artificial Christmas Tree? You Might be Surprised
· Internet Road Rules Near Federal Communications Commission Vote
· Painful or Not, Yahoo Is Doing What It Needs To
· Google TV Faces Delays Amid Poor Reviews
· Washington State’s Congressional Clout Climbing?
· US Senator Walden of Oregon to Chair Commerce & Technology Subcommittee
· Adam Smith, Norm Dicks Win Spots Atop Two of Most Influential Congressional Committees
· Murray No. 5 in earmarks; Cantwell is No. 50
· Gregoire ‘Open’ to Idea of Privatized Washington State Liquor Sales
· Washington State Residents: Break Out Your Sales Receipts
· Communities Vying for New Washington State Prison Center
· Two Rescued from Sinking Yacht Off Neah
· Nonprofit Legal Group Sues Kitsap County over Clerk’s Office’s New Hours
· Washington State Welfare Recipients Rack Up Millions in ATM Fees
· Washington State Scores High in Emergency Preparedness Report
· Six Women Arrested in Theft Ring That Targeted Tacoma Mall Stores
· Op/Ed - There Goes the Sun: Celebrating the First Day of Winter
WORD OF THE DAY
Welter • \WELL-terr\ • Verb - 1: writhe, toss; also: wallow 2: to become deeply sunk, soaked, or involved 3: to be in turmoil
The primary colors of blue, yellow and red. Bertie was weltering over which of the two colors when combined made green. “Why don’t you just use the green crayon?” suggested his quick-witted administrative assistant.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Oregon - Rates Set to Jump for Pacific Power, Portland General Electric Customers in January (Oregonian, Portland)
Oregon - Eugene Water & Electric Board Faces Power Struggles: The utility is under contract to buy electricity it doesn’t yet need at prices much higher than market rate (Eugene Register Guard, OR)
Southern Montana Electric Approves 4.5 Percent Rate Hike (Billings Gazette, MT)
Editorial - Cheers & Jeers: Clark PUD Commission Envisions No Rate Increase (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Power Paradox - Getting Enough Electricity into Pendleton for a Data Processing Center May Not be Possible, But Some Say That’s Not a Problem (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)
Bonneville Power Administration - Good News (KBND Radio, Bend, OR)
Idaho - Salmon River Electric Cooperative Board, Staff Debate Member Power Generation (Challis Messenger, ID)
Editorial - Eyes Back on Yucca: Proposed Nuclear Waste Dump in Nevada Should be Re-Examined, Court Rules (Vancouver Columbian, WA)
Editorial - Good News for a Bad (Nuclear) Waste Situation (Longview Daily News, WA)
Southern California Edison moving ahead with smart meter rollout (South Garbriel Valley Tribune, CA)
US Sees Smaller Role for Canada in Energy Supply (Vancouver Sun, BC)
US Munis & Co-Ops Say They’ll Push for CREB Renewal Next Year (Platts)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Fishing Prospects for 2011 Look Similar to Upbeat 2010 (Seattle Times)
Record Bycatch of Salmon in Gulf of Alaska Sparks Concern: Impacts on PNW Fish Unknown (Columba Basin Bulletin)
Experts Say Obama Spotted Owl Plan Still Not Right (Associated Press)
PPL Sells Hydroelectric Assets in Maine to River Restoration Trust – Facilities to be Removed (Electric Light & Power)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
State’s Environmental Agencies Called on to Change to Respond to Budget Concerns (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Lower Monumental Dam Lock Closed - Shutdown Longest in Columbia-Snake River System (Oregonian, Portland)
Corps to Release Water Behind Willamette Valley Dams to Make Room for More Rain (Columba Basin Bulletin)
Sensitive Columbia River Island Outed by Researcher (Northwest Public Radio)
Yakima Basin Water Plan Flowing (Yakima Herald-Republic, WA)
Lake Tapps Water Deal Finalized (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Analyzing the ‘California Effect’ on the Pacific Northwest’s Wind Power Boom (KATU-TV, Portland, OR)
Oregon - Walden, Other Lawmakers Seek EPA Changes to Biomass Rules (East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR)
Arizona Wind Farm Appeal Likely (Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, AZ)
Wind Turbines May Aid Crops, Scientist Says (Des Moines Register, IA)
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Researchers Measuring Winds for Power (Associated Press)
Alaska Students Study Wind Energy as Turbines Gain Favor (Anchorage Daily News, AK)
Tennessee Valley Authority Expecting Windfall of Green-Energy Credits (Knoxville News Sentinel, TN)
Canada - Run-of-River Projects Near Harrison Lake Rile Whitewater Kayakers (Vancouver Sun, BC)
Big Florida Biomass Plant Gains Backing (Earth Techling)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
Visions of Energy Efficiency Danced in Their Heads (National Public Radio)
Google PowerMeter Tracks Home Electricity Via Wi-Fi (CNET News)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Rockefeller, Murkowski Eyeing Chances to Block EPA Climate Rules Next Year (The Hill)
North Dakota - Basin Electric Power Cooperative Shelves Lignite’s First Carbon Capture Project (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Editorial - California Leads Way on Global Warming (SF Chronicle - Odd Headline: Leads in creation of, or fighting of)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Wave of Electric Vehicles Gaining Momentum (Longview Daily News, WA)
How Green Is Your Artificial Christmas Tree? You Might be Surprised “…an artificial tree would have to be reused for more than 20 years to be greener than buying a fresh-cut tree annually…” (NY Times)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Internet Road Rules Near Federal Communications Commission Vote (Reuters)
Painful or Not, Yahoo Is Doing What It Needs To (GigaOM)
Google TV Faces Delays Amid Poor Reviews (NY Times)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Washington State’s Congressional Clout Climbing? - State likely to gain seat in House due to population growth; announcement Tuesday (Olympian, WA)
US Senator Walden of Oregon to Chair Commerce & Technology Subcommittee (Northwest Public Radio)
Adam Smith, Norm Dicks Win Spots Atop Two of Most Influential Congressional Committees (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
Murray No. 5 in Earmarks; Cantwell Is No. 50 (Associated Press)
Gregoire ‘Open’ to Idea of Privatized Washington State Liquor Sales - But governor wants to hear from public (Seattle Post Intelligencer)
Washington State Residents: Break Out Your Sales Receipts (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)
GENERAL NEWS
Communities Vying for New Washington State Prison Center (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Two Rescued from Sinking Yacht Off Neah Bay (KOMO-TV, Seattle)
Nonprofit Legal Group Sues Kitsap County over Clerk’s Office’s New Hours (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)
Washington State Welfare Recipients Rack Up Millions in ATM Fees (Northwest Public Radio)
Washington State Scores High in Emergency Preparedness Report (KING-TV, Seattle)
Six Women Arrested in Theft Ring That Targeted Tacoma Mall Stores (Olympian, WA)
Op/Ed - There Goes the Sun: Celebrating the First Day of Winter (NY Times)
DIVERSIONS
Road Tripping: What’s the Top Driving Song of All Time?
Vancouver Island - Disc Dropped in San Francisco Bay in 1970 Washes Up on Long Beach
Squeaky-Clean Singapore in Toilet Manners Campaign
Runners-up to Merriam-Webster’s Words of the Year
SONG OF THE DAY
Here’s my vote for best “Driving Song of All Time”
Golden Earring – Radar Love
