Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Energy News Digest for March 17, 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)

·         Mason County PUD No. 3 Going Forward with Moving All Operations to John’s Prairie
·         Cleanup Begins After High Winds Rip Through Western Wash.
·         Power Still Out in North & South Kitsap
·         Satsop-Area Power Plant Seeks Energy Boost
·         Chelan PUD Thinks Forward Sales Offer Stability
·         Stringing Power Lines - Chopper Stops Traffic at Washington-Oregon Borde
·         Ice Harbor Lock & Dam Awaits Fish-Friendly Turbine Parts
·         New Contract Seeks Safer Turbine for Fish
·         Grant PUD Starts Archeology as Part of Dam Relicensing Requirements
·         Idaho Power Seeks 1.26 Percent Rate Increase
·         Idaho Energy Assistance Program out of Money
·         Montana - Arch Coal Bids $86 Million on Otter Creek
·         Wyoming’s Crash Program to Develop ‘Green’ Coal
·         Tennessee Valley Authority Raising Rates Again in April
·         Feds Move to Protect Smelt; Recovery Plan Will Take Years to Develop
·         Newly Protected Pacific Smelt Goes by Many Names
·         Orcas Have Big Brains to Go With Their Brawn
·         Asian Carp: How One Fish Could Ruin the Great Lakes
·         Why Solving the Asian Carp Problem Is So Hard
·         Seattle Power Outage Causes Sewage Spill into Puget Sound
·         Okanogan County - Normally Dry Region Enjoying Snowy Winter
·         Thin Snowpack Has Farmers Worried Throughout the Northwest
·         State Finds Sewer District Failed to Comply With Bid Laws
·         Suit Filed Against Expansion of Moses Lake Solar Plant
·         Oregon - Board Has Big Ideas for Power on a Small Scale
·         California - Medicine Lake Geothermal Leases Questioned in Appeal
·         Iowans Lose Money on Wind-Energy Venture
·         Massachusetts - Wind Breaker: Two Blades Snapped off Turbine at Peck’s Boats
·         Snohomish PUD Says Conservation Efforts Save Customers Millions
·         Intel Powers Its Way inside the Smart Grid
·         US Chamber Petitions EPA to Reconsider Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding
·         Battle over California Climate Change Law Takes Shape as Warring Parties Reveal Funding
·         Green Energy Business Grows 11 Percent
·         Green MBA Appeal - Save Green, Make Green
·         United Kingdom - “Act on C02” Posters Banned by Advertizing Watchdog
·         Washington Senate OKs Data Center Tax Exemption
·         Seattle Times Editorial - Broadband, a Basic Utility for the 21st Century
·         What You Need to Know About the National Broadband Plan
·         Seattle Ready for FCC’s Fiber-Optic Plan
·         Lake Wenatchee Residents Clamor for Fiber
·         Fairpoint Still Fighting Rural Maine Broadband Expansion
·         Horizon Data Center Solutions Expands in Virginia
·         Stat Shot: Google’s Growing Infrastructure Advantage
·         The Bing Blue Color That’s worth $80 Million
·         Utah - Google Gamble Looks to Upstage Cable Companies
·         Iowa - Mason City YouTube Video to Woo Google
·         Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh to Make Its Pitch for Google Broadband
·         Washington’s February jobless rate increases to 9.5 percent
·         Go Here for Links to the Wash Rates for Individual Counties
·         Missing Union Man Possibly Found in Lewis County
·         Washington Secretary of State Diagnosed With Cancer
·         Charges Filed in Clallam County Treasurer’s Office Theft Case
·         Five in Custody in Medical Marijuana Home Invasion
·         Stimulus Money in Washington Flowing to Second Tier Projects
·         Weather - Preferred Location Announced for New Coastal Doppler

WORD OF THE DAY

Archetype • \ARK-kih-type\ • noun - The original pattern or model of which all things of the same type are representations or copies: prototype; also: a perfect example

The fanboys gathered around the booth of the “graphic novel” author in the seething crowd at the local comic-con. “Dude…this art sets a new standard for action heroes,” bellowed the de facto leader of the group, pushing his taped glasses back up his nose. “Even the archetypical Superman comic can’t compare.” The artist figuratively rolled his eyes, thankful for the $50 per autograph fee he was charging to his amped up fans.

WEATHER

Shelton Forecast & Weather Alerts

ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Mason County PUD No. 3 Going Forward with Moving All Operations to John’s Prairie (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Cleanup Begins After High Winds Rip Through Western Wash. (KING-TV, Seattle, WA)

Power Still Out in North & South Kitsap (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, WA)

Satsop-Area Power Plant Seeks Energy Boost - Company wants to expand gas plant operation that started in 2008 (Olympian, WA)

Chelan PUD Thinks Forward Sales Offer Stability (Wenatchee World, WA)

Stringing Power Lines - Chopper Stops Traffic at Washington-Oregon Border (KNDU-TV, Tri-Cities, WA)

Ice Harbor Lock & Dam Awaits Fish-Friendly Turbine Parts (Tri-City Herald, WA)

New Contract Seeks Safer Turbine for Fish - Advanced technology will shape prototype for Snake, Columbia dams (Bonneville Power Administration)

Grant PUD Starts Archeology as Part of Dam Relicensing Requirements (Columbia Basin Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Idaho Power Seeks 1.26 Percent Rate Increase - Request comes after complaints over winter bills (Magic Valley Times-News, Twin Falls, ID)

Idaho Energy Assistance Program out of Money (NW Public Radio)

Montana - Arch Coal Bids $86 Million on Otter Creek (Helena Independent Record, MT)

Wyoming’s Crash Program to Develop ‘Green’ Coal (NY Times)

Tennessee Valley Authority Raising Rates Again in April (Chattanooga Times Free Press, TN)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Feds Move to Protect Smelt; Recovery Plan Will Take Years to Develop (The Daily News, Longview, WA)

Newly Protected Pacific Smelt Goes by Many Names (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

Orcas Have Big Brains to Go With Their Brawn (Los Angeles Times, CA)

Asian Carp: How One Fish Could Ruin the Great Lakes (Christian Science Monitor)

Why Solving the Asian Carp Problem Is So Hard (Christian Science Monitor)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Seattle Power Outage Causes Sewage Spill into Puget Sound (Seattle Times)

Okanogan County - Normally Dry Region Enjoying Snowy Winter (Wenatchee World, WA)

Thin Snowpack Has Farmers Worried Throughout the Northwest (Oregon Public Broadcasting)

State Finds Sewer District Failed to Comply With Bid Laws (Wenatchee World, WA)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Suit Filed Against Expansion of Moses Lake Solar Plant (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Oregon - Board Has Big Ideas for Power on a Small Scale: The Rogue River Valley Irrigation District may use an irrigation canal to make electricity & offset costs (Ashland Daily Tidings, OR)

California - Medicine Lake Geothermal Leases Questioned in Appeal (Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA)

Iowans Lose Money on Wind-Energy Venture (Des Moines Register, IA)

Massachusetts - Wind Breaker: Two Blades Snapped off Turbine at Peck’s Boats (Barnstable Patriot, Hyannis, MA)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Snohomish PUD Says Conservation Efforts Save Customers Millions (Everett Herald, WA)

Intel Powers Its Way inside the Smart Grid (C/NET News)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

US Chamber Petitions EPA to Reconsider Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding (NY Times)

Battle over California Climate Change Law Takes Shape as Warring Parties Reveal Funding Sources (NY Times)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Green Energy Business Grows 11 Percent (Portland Business Journal)

Green MBA Appeal - Save Green, Make Green (Seattle Times)

United Kingdom - “Act on C02” Posters Banned by Advertizing Watchdog (Reuters)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington Senate OKs Data Center Tax Exemption (Associated Press)

Seattle Times Editorial - Broadband, a Basic Utility for the 21st Century

What You Need to Know About the National Broadband Plan (Broadband Reports)

Seattle Ready for FCC’s Fiber-Optic Plan (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Lake Wenatchee Residents Clamor for Fiber (Wenatchee World, WA)

Fairpoint Still Fighting Rural Maine Broadband Expansion (Broadband Reports)

Horizon Data Center Solutions Expands in Virginia - More sites, including West Coast, planned (Dallas Business Journal)

Stat Shot: Google’s Growing Infrastructure Advantage (GigaOM)

The Bing Blue Color That’s worth $80 Million (Seattle Times)

GA-GA FOR GOOGLE

Utah - Google Gamble Looks to Upstage Cable Companies (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

Iowa - Mason City YouTube Video to Woo Google (Globe-Gazette, Mason City, IA)

Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh to Make Its Pitch for Google Broadband (Pittsburgh Business Times)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington’s February jobless rate increases to 9.5 percent (Associated Press)

Go Here for Links to the Wash Rates for Individual Counties (Washington Dept. of Employment Security)

Missing Union Man Possibly Found in Lewis County (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Washington Secretary of State Diagnosed With Cancer (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Charges Filed in Clallam County Treasurer’s Office Theft Case (KONP Radio, Port Angeles, WA)

Five in Custody in Medical Marijuana Home Invasion (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Stimulus Money in Washington Flowing to Second Tier Projects “…work was being done for a lot less & it’s that money that’s now flowing into second & third tier projects…” (KING-TV, Seattle)

Weather - Preferred Location Announced for New Coastal Doppler (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

DIVERSIONS

NJ Woman Attempting to Become World’s Fattest Lady

Massachusetts Dentist Accused of Using Paper Clips in Root Canals

A New William Shakespeare Play? Long Lost Play to be Published.

Toyota Mystery Deepens: Could Space Radiation be the Culprit? (Maybe it’s a loose Thetan?)

SONG OF THE DAY

The Chieftans - Star of the County Down