Thursday, March 11, 2010

Energy News Digest for March 11, 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)

·         Bill May Allow City Light to Arbitrate Pend Oreille County Boundary Dam Fees
·         State Legislature Approves Pend Oreille County Dam Compensation Bill
·         Peninsula Gateway Editorial - PenLight Put Off Rate Increase
·         Okanogan PUD Sets Workshops on Proposed Rate Changes
·         TransAlta Tax Breaks Upheld in House Tax Bill
·         Oregon - Transmission Lines to Skirt Local Valleys
·         Lower Lake Cushman Boat Ramp Closed For Work on Dam
·         Commodity Futures Trading Commission, FERC Fight Over Role in Electricity Markets
·         Five Percent Los Angeles Electric Rate Hike Linked to Solar Power
·         In Trade Mission, Two Vermont Utilities Hope To Reach Deal with Quebec Utility
·         Natural Gas Stocks Declined Last Week
·         Elwha Dams Removal Good for Salmon, But Maybe Not for Trout
·         Sixth Sea Lion Killed At Bonneville Dam
·         Washington State Considers Expanding Selective Fishing Practices
·         State Budget Could Limit Lewis County Dam Options
·         Olympian Editorial - Time to Look toward Potential Water Shortage
·         DOE E-Mails to Wind Energy Lobbyists Cast Cloud Over Green Jobs Proposals
·         Learn How to 'Solarize' At North Peninsula Expo
·         Albany Democrat Herald, OR - Editorial: Another Cost, Ruined Views
·         Grays Harbor’s Imperium Biofuel Plant Back In Business
·         EPA Recognizes Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance with Sustained Excellence Award
·         US House Members Introduce Rural Utility Loan Bill Designed to Spur Energy
·         Wasting Watts with Idle Gadgets - Phantom Electricity Boosts Utility Bill, Carbon Emissions
·         World's Top Scientists to Review Climate Panel
·         Tri-Cities: A Model for Going Green
·         Think You Know What a 'Green Job' Is? Think Again
·         Washington data centers may get tax break
·         Google Still Big Gorilla of Online Search
·         Former FCC Boss Kevin Martin Pretends He Fought for Open
·         Gadgets in Emergency Vehicles Seen as Peril
·         Michigan - Get Goofy for Google, But Be Serious about High-Speed Wireless for Area
·         City Officials Iron Out Misunderstanding over Google
·         $35 Billion Boeing Tanker Deal May Be Expedited
·         EADS Sees No Financial Hit from US Tanker Loss
·         Schools fear layoffs as state lawmakers decide budget
·         Olympia Man Facing Drug Charges Still Serving On City Council
·         Wiring Stolen from Griffin School District Buses
·         Did some Bellevue City Council members violate state's law on open meetings?
·         Schafer State Park on Historic Register
·         Truffle Trespassers Ruffle Oregon Man's Forest

WORD OF THE DAY

Vituperative • \vie-TOOP-per-uh-tiv\ • adjective – Uttering or given to censure: containing or characterized by verbal abuse

Barty knew that his actions deserved a rebuke from his supervisor. He was unprepared for the vituperative dressing down he received. “All over throwing coffee in the face of an unruly customer,” he mused. Unbeknownst to Barty, the unruly customer just happened to be the CEO, who had arrived for an undercover inspection of the customer service function at the remote bank branch.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Bill May Allow City Light to Arbitrate Pend Oreille County Boundary Dam Fees (Seattle Times)

State Legislature Approves Pend Oreille County Dam Compensation Bill (KPLU Radio, Tacoma, WA)

Peninsula Gateway Editorial - PenLight Put Off Rate Increase

Okanogan PUD Sets Workshops on Proposed Rate Changes (Omak Chronicle, WA)

TransAlta Tax Breaks Upheld in House Tax Bill (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Oregon - Transmission Lines to Skirt Local Valleys (Ontario Argus-Observer, OR)

Lower Lake Cushman Boat Ramp Closed For Work on Dam (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Commodity Futures Trading Commission, FERC Fight Over Role in Electricity Markets (Reuters)

Five Percent Los Angeles Electric Rate Hike Linked to Solar Power – Would increase rate to 13 cents per kWh (NY Times)

In Trade Mission, Two Vermont Utilities Hope To Reach Deal with Quebec Utility (Canadian Business Online)

Natural Gas Stocks Declined Last Week (Associated Press)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Elwha Dams Removal Good for Salmon, But Maybe Not for Trout (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

Sixth Sea Lion Killed At Bonneville Dam (KGW-TV, Portland, OR)

Washington State Considers Expanding Selective Fishing Practices (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

State Budget Could Limit Lewis County Dam Options (The Chronicle, Centralia, WA)

Olympian Editorial - Time to Look toward Potential Water Shortage

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

DOE E-Mails to Wind Energy Lobbyists Cast Cloud Over Green Jobs Proposals (Investor’s Business Daily)

Learn How to 'Solarize' At North Peninsula Expo (Sequim Gazette, WA)

Albany Democrat Herald, OR - Editorial: Another Cost, Ruined Views

Grays Harbor’s Imperium Biofuel Plant Back In Business (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

EPA Recognizes Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance with Sustained Excellence Award (PR Newswire)

US House Members Introduce Rural Utility Loan Bill Designed to Spur Energy Efficiency (The Hill)

Wasting Watts with Idle Gadgets - Phantom Electricity Boosts Utility Bill, Carbon Emissions (Lake Oswego Review, OR)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

World's Top Scientists to Review Climate Panel (Associated Press)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Tri-Cities: A Model for Going Green (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Think You Know What a 'Green Job' Is? Think Again (Forbes Magazine)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington data centers may get tax break (Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA)

Google Still Big Gorilla of Online Search (San Francisco Business Times)

Former FCC Boss Kevin Martin Pretends He Fought for Open Access (Broadband Reports)

Gadgets in Emergency Vehicles Seen as Peril (NY Times)

GA-GA FOR GOOGLE

Michigan - Get Goofy for Google, But Be Serious about High-Speed Wireless for Area (The Flint Journal, MI)

City Officials Iron Out Misunderstanding over Google (Worthington Daily Globe, MN)

GENERAL NEWS

$35 Billion Boeing Tanker Deal May Be Expedited (Everett Herald, WA)

EADS Sees No Financial Hit from US Tanker Loss (Reuters)

Schools fear layoffs as state lawmakers decide budget (KING-TV, Seattle)

Olympia Man Facing Drug Charges Still Serving On City Council (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Wiring Stolen from Griffin School District Buses (Olympian, WA)

Did some Bellevue City Council members violate state's law on open meetings? (Seattle Times)

Schafer State Park on Historic Register (The Daily World, Aberdeen, WA)

Truffle Trespassers Ruffle Oregon Man's Forest (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Over Cell Phone Dispute – Man Stabbed With Meat Thermometer at Movie

Doomsday Seed Vault Hits Half-Million Mark

Robber Holds Up 11 People, Gets $6

SONG OF THE DAY

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard - Pancho and Lefty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvdmxszsDM8