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HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES
Chu Urges Congress to Look to Nuclear Power - Energy secretary says Congress should consider nuclear power in clean energy mandate (ABC News)
Oregon - Rate Increases Expected for Several Area Utilities (Eugene Register Guard, OR)
Mason County PUD 3 Commission Looks at Lowered Budget (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Vandals Glue Doors Shut at Clean Air Agency Building in Olympia - The agency is considering a permit for a controversial biomass project near Shelton (Olympian, WA)
Protest Groups Mulling Further Appeal of Nippon’s Port Angeles Biomass Permit (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Mason County PUD 3 Commission Looks at Lowered Budget
· Chelan PUD Approves 2011 Budget
· Oregon - Rate Increases Expected for Several Area Utilities
· Montana - Changes for Northwest Energy Include Tiered Rates, Decoupling
· Richland Seniors & Disabled Can Get Help with Energy Bills
· Big Bend Electric Cooperative - Caring Neighbors Lends a Helping Hand
· Chu Urges Congress to Look to Nuclear Power
· Nuclear Regulatory Commission Plan Would Inform Tribes of Waste Shipments
· Coal Industry in Colorado Fights Gas-Conversion Plan
· Utility Head Grilled over Fatal California Natural Gas Explosion
· TransCanada Still Negotiating on Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline
· Texas Trial Continues - Lobbyist: I Acted as Adviser to Pedernales Electric Cooperative
· Court Orders Protection of Trout from Salmon Hatchery on Washington’s Icicle Creek
· Plan to Aid Puget Sound Salmon Raises Hackles in Deer Lagoon Neighborhood
· Hanford Reach Steelhead Fishery Re-Opens Wednesday
· Canada - Government Failed to Adequately Protect Orca Whale Habitat, Court Rules
· Western Governors Focusing on Endangered Species in Vegas
· Overdue Power Bill May Mean No Water for Columbia Crest Estates
· Clallam PUD Answers Critics of Carlsborg Sewer Proposal
· Vandals Glue Doors Shut at Clean Air Agency Building in Olympia
· Pressure Builds Around Port Angeles Biomass Burner’s Initial Approval
· Protest Groups Mulling Further Appeal of Nippon’s Port Angeles Biomass Permit
· Florida Biomass Plant Clears Hurdle
· University of Montana Says Biomass Boiler to Have ‘Small Impact’ on Emissions
· Idaho Utilities Want Public Utilities Commission to Tackle Alternative Power Rules
· Clean Energy Sector Scrambles to Save Incentives
· Wyoming Bill Would Create Wind Energy Rights
· Home Wind Power Faces Roadblocks in San Francisco
· Pacific County Power Pioneers - Locals Explore Other Sources for Living Off the Electrical Grid
· How to Buy Energy-Efficient TVs, Electronics
· Western Climate Initiative Moves Forward, Smaller Than Imagined
· A Warning at Climate Talks: Glacier Melt Speeding Up
· Washington State Ranks 4th in US Clean Energy Leadership Index
· Court Upholds California Air Regulator’s Pollution Fee for Home Builders to Control Their Pollution Emissions
· Google Still Polishing Chrome OS, Postpones Debut
· Elway Poll: Most Voters Say Washington State Budget Will be Balanced with Cuts & “Money from Somewhere”
· Washington State Legislature - Behind Closed Doors, Berkey Asks All Senators Not to Seat Harper
· Washington Auditor Zings State Parks in Whistleblower Investigation
· US Congress - A List of Designated GOP Chairmen
· Never Mind - A New Study of Portland’s Business Climate Shows the “City That Works” Might Deserve Another, Less Laudatory Nickname
· Hunters Likely Spurred North Mason School Lockdown
· After Failed Recall Attempt – Port of Shelton Attorney Approves Legal Fee Reimbursement
· Demand from China Helping Stabilize US Lumber Market
· What Those Weather Service Terms Mean . . .
WORD OF THE DAY
Vociferous • \voh-SIF-uh-rus\ • adjective - Marked by or given to vehement insistent outcry
Apropos the “Family Circus” comic, the environmental advocacy group vociferously denied that they had engaged in vandalism during their protest against people exhaling carbon dioxide during sleep. “Not Me” was the refrain when asked about the use of super glue to close napping employees’ nostrils.
SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Mason County PUD 3 Commission Looks at Lowered Budget (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Chelan PUD Approves 2011 Budget (Wenatchee World, WA)
Oregon - Rate Increases Expected for Several Area Utilities (Eugene Register Guard, OR)
Montana - Changes for Northwest Energy Include Tiered Rates, Decoupling (Billings Gazette, MT)
Richland Seniors & Disabled Can Get Help with Energy Bills (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)
Big Bend Electric Cooperative - Caring Neighbors Lends a Helping Hand (Othello Outlook, WA)
Chu Urges Congress to Look to Nuclear Power - Energy secretary says Congress should consider nuclear power in clean energy mandate (ABC News)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Plan Would Inform Tribes of Waste Shipments (Associated Press)
Coal Industry in Colorado Fights Gas-Conversion Plan (National Public Radio)
Utility Head Grilled over Fatal California Natural Gas Explosion (Associated Press)
TransCanada Still Negotiating on Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline (Associated Press)
Texas Trial Continues - Lobbyist: I Acted as Adviser to Pedernales Electric Cooperative (Austin American Statesman, TX)
FISH & WILDLIFE
Court Orders Protection of Trout from Salmon Hatchery on Washington’s Icicle Creek (Courthouse News Service)
Plan to Aid Puget Sound Salmon Raises Hackles in Deer Lagoon Neighborhood (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Hanford Reach Steelhead Fishery Re-Opens Wednesday (Tri-City Herald, WA)
Canada - Government Failed to Adequately Protect Orca Whale Habitat, Court Rules (Vancouver Sun, BC)
Western Governors Focusing on Endangered Species in Vegas – Actually they’re meeting in Vegas to talk about endangered species…not necessarily the endangered species in that specific city (Associated Press)
WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT
Overdue Power Bill May Mean No Water for Columbia Crest Estates (Longview Daily News, WA)
Clallam PUD Answers Critics of Carlsborg Sewer Proposal (Sequim Gazette, WA)
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Vandals Glue Doors Shut at Clean Air Agency Building in Olympia - The agency is considering a permit for a controversial biomass project near Shelton (Olympian, WA)
Vandals Glue Locks at Clean Air Agency in Olympia - coincided with protests against a permit the agency is considering for a biomass plant near Shelton (Associated Press)
Pressure Builds Around Port Angeles Biomass Burner’s Initial Approval (KING-TV, Seattle)
Protest Groups Mulling Further Appeal of Nippon’s Port Angeles Biomass Permit (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)
Florida Biomass Plant Clears Hurdle - All that’s left for the plant is getting an air permit & winning several pending appeals to the project (Gainesville Sun, FL)
University of Montana Says Biomass Boiler to Have ‘Small Impact’ on Emissions (The Missoulian, MT)
Idaho Utilities Want Public Utilities Commission to Tackle Alternative Power Rules (Associated Press)
Clean Energy Sector Scrambles to Save Incentives (NY Times)
Wyoming Bill Would Create Wind Energy Rights (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Home Wind Power Faces Roadblocks in San Francisco (SF Chronicle)
Pacific County Power Pioneers - Locals Explore Other Sources for Living Off the Electrical Grid (Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
How to Buy Energy-Efficient TVs, Electronics (KIRO-TV, Seattle)
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Western Climate Initiative Moves Forward, Smaller Than Imagined - The toxic politics of cap-&-trade (High Country News)
A Warning at Climate Talks: Glacier Melt Speeding Up (USA Today)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
Washington State Ranks 4th in US Clean Energy Leadership Index (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
Court Upholds California Air Regulator’s Pollution Fee for Home Builders to Control Their Pollution Emissions (Associated Press)
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Google Still Polishing Chrome OS, Postpones Debut (SF Chronicle)
POLITICS & GOVERNANCE
Elway Poll: Most Voters Say Washington State Budget Will be Balanced with Cuts & “Money from Somewhere” (Seattle Times)
Washington State Legislature - Behind Closed Doors, Berkey Asks All Senators Not to Seat Harper (Everett Herald, WA)
Washington Auditor Zings State Parks in Whistleblower Investigation (Northwest Public Radio)
US Congress - A List of Designated GOP Chairmen - Natural Resources: Doc Hastings of Washington (Associated Press)
Never Mind - A New Study of Portland’s Business Climate Shows the “City That Works” Might Deserve Another, Less Laudatory Nickname (Willamette Week, OR)
GENERAL NEWS
Hunters Likely Spurred North Mason School Lockdown (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
After Failed Recall Attempt – Port of Shelton Attorney Approves Legal Fee Reimbursement (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)
Demand from China Helping Stabilize US Lumber Market (Longview Daily News, WA)
What Those Weather Service Terms Mean . . . (Seattle Times)
DIVERSIONS
$465 - Guest Takes Hotel to Court for Big Snow Storm Bill
Council Won’t Play with Kids’ Fast Food Toys - Kids can still get their Hello Kitty watches & Transformer action figures with their Happy Meal
‘Naughty’ Joke Gets Santa Claus Fired from San Francisco Macy’s
San Francisco Doctor Dressed as Elvis Revives Vegas Marathon Runner
SONG OF THE DAY
Hall & Oates - Your Kiss is on My List
