Friday, January 22, 2010

Energy News Digest for January 22, 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

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

•  Jefferson County PUD Plans to Make Electrical Service Decision by Mid-April
•  Managing Pacific Northwest Dams for a Changing Climate
•  Idaho - Rupert Might Pursue Hike in Electricity Rates
•  Port Orchard Independent Op/Ed - Does Taxing Public Utilities Make Sense?
•  Matanuska Electric Association to Build Two New Power Plants in
•  Port Orchard Utility Customers Offered Online Bill Pay Option
•  Harstine Island - Whale Carcass Washes Ashore
•  Oregon Plagued by Steelhead - Huge run of hatchery fish needs thinning
•  Marine Toxin Closes Long Beach Razor Clam Dig Next Week
•  Why Aren’t Quagga Mussels Flourishing in Northwest Waters?
•  Review Says US Agency Must Revamp Fish Law Enforcement
•  Warm Weather Impacts Washington’s Ski Resorts, Water Supply
•  Cowlitz County – Consultant Says Mint Farm Aquifer Inexhaustible
•  Kittitas County Residents Say ‘No’ to County/State Wells Agreement
•  Brightwater Sewer Tunnel Likely Causing Homes’ Troubles
•  Representative Finn Comments on Washington Biomass Bill
•  Longview Fibre Seeks Permit for Biomass Boiler
•  West Virginia – Mingo Wood-Fired Plant Bond Issue Approved
•  Newly Installed Wind Turbines Idled by Minnesota’s Winter
•  Massachusetts – Study Says Most Won’t Pay More for Wind Power
•  California Rebates for Solar Water Heaters Approved
•  Sunflower DNA Map Could Produce Plants for Fuel
•  Washington State Bill Aims to Cut Bills from Electricity-Hogging TVs
•  Tankless Water Heaters: Pros & Cons
•  Bipartisan Group of Senators Try to Thwart EPA Efforts to Curb Emissions
•  Warming Expected to Cut Atlantic Hurricane Tally but Boost Threat
•  Bill Gates Thinks Big on Energy & Climate
•  FaceBook Matures, Will Build Its Own Data Center
•  FaceBook Touts Energy Efficiency at Its Prineville Data Center
•  Portland Set to Dismantle, Donate Abandoned Wi-Fi Antennas
•  Microsoft Fixes Browser Flaw Used in Google Breach
•  China Says U.S. Internet Accusations “Baseless”
•  Officials Seek Help Finding Missing Shelton-Area Woman
•  Shelton Resident, Olympia Store Cop Sentenced for Voyeurism Charges
•  The Tim Sheldon Disemployment Act Gets Killed
•  Builders’ Lobby Sponsors Workers’ Comp Initiative
•  Billion Dollar Headache: Looming Pension Liability Worries State Officials
•  Satsop Test Site Preparing for New Highway 520 Bridge Pontoons
•  Hanford Supporters Want B Reactor in National Park
•  Oh, the Irony - Tools, Metals Stolen from Jail Construction Site
•  Shelton-Mason Chamber Award Winners Honored

WORD OF THE DAY

Glockenspiel • \GLAWK-ken-shpeel\ • noun – A percussion instrument consisting of a series of graduated metal bars tuned to the chromatic scale and played with two hammers

“Sonny, with shoulders like that, you’re a natural to carry the marching band’s glockenspiel in the parade,” intoned the well-travelled virtuoso. “You do understand that I’ll be hammering away on the cranky thing while you walk four miles?”

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Jefferson County PUD Plans to Make Electrical Service Decision by Mid-April (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Managing Pacific Northwest Dams for a Changing Climate (Physorg.Com)

Idaho - Rupert Might Pursue Hike in Electricity Rates (Magic Valley News, Twin Falls, ID)

Port Orchard Independent Op/Ed - Does Taxing Public Utilities Make Sense?

Matanuska Electric Association to Build Two New Power Plants in Alaska (EC&M)

Port Orchard Utility Customers Offered Online Bill Pay Option (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Harstine Island - Whale Carcass Washes Ashore: It was out of range & out of food (Olympian, WA)

Oregon Plagued by Steelhead - Huge run of hatchery fish needs thinning (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Marine Toxin Closes Long Beach Razor Clam Dig Next Week - Could prompt closures at other beaches (Seattle Times)

Why Aren’t Quagga Mussels Flourishing in Northwest Waters? (Oregon Public Radio)

Review Says US Agency Must Revamp Fish Law Enforcement (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Warm Weather Impacts Washington’s Ski Resorts, Water Supply (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Cowlitz County – Consultant Says Mint Farm Aquifer Inexhaustible (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

Kittitas County Residents Say ‘No’ to County/State Wells Agreement (Yakima Herald Republic, WA)

Brightwater Sewer Tunnel Likely Causing Homes’ Troubles (Seattle Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Representative Finn Comments on Washington Biomass Bill (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Longview Fibre Seeks Permit for Biomass Boiler (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

West Virginia – Mingo Wood-Fired Plant Bond Issue Approved: Coal-burner in Mon County also can go forward (West Virginia Gazette, Charleston, WV)

Newly Installed Wind Turbines Idled by Minnesota’s Winter - Cold weather blamed for failure of windmills to work properly (Pioneer Press, St. Paul, MN)

Massachusetts – Study Says Most Won’t Pay More for Wind Power (Boston Herald, MA)

California Rebates for Solar Water Heaters Approved (Associated Press)

Sunflower DNA Map Could Produce Plants for Fuel (Associated Press)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Washington State Bill Aims to Cut Bills from Electricity-Hogging TVs (KING-TV, Seattle)

Tankless Water Heaters: Pros & Cons (Christian Science Monitor)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Bipartisan Group of Senators Try to Thwart EPA Efforts to Curb Emissions (Washington Post)

Warming Expected to Cut Atlantic Hurricane Tally but Boost Threat (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Bill Gates Thinks Big on Energy & Climate (C/NET News)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FaceBook Matures, Will Build Its Own Data Center (GigaOM)

FaceBook Touts Energy Efficiency at Its Prineville Data Center (The Oregonian, Portland)

Portland Set to Dismantle, Donate Abandoned Wi-Fi Antennas (The Oregonian, Portland)

Microsoft Fixes Browser Flaw Used in Google Breach (Associated Press)

China Says U.S. Internet Accusations “Baseless” (Reuters)

GENERAL NEWS

Officials Seek Help Finding Missing Shelton-Area Woman (Olympian, WA)

Shelton Resident, Olympia Store Cop Sentenced for Voyeurism Charges (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

The Tim Sheldon Disemployment Act Gets Killed (Seattle Times)

Builders’ Lobby Sponsors Workers’ Comp Initiative (Associated Press)

Billion Dollar Headache: Looming Pension Liability Worries State Officials (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Satsop Test Site Preparing for New Highway 520 Bridge Pontoons (Associated Press)

Hanford Supporters Want B Reactor in National Park (KOMO-TV, Seattle)

Oh, the Irony - Tools, Metals Stolen from Jail Construction Site (Olympian, WA)

Shelton-Mason Chamber Award Winners Honored (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Human “Bed-Warmers” at Holiday Inn

NASA Announces Designs for Personal Flying Suit

Meteorite Strikes Doctor’s Office in Virginia

Charlie Daniels Can Fiddle After Stroke

SONG OF THE DAY

Charlie Daniels Band - Passing Lane