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.
TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)
· Spring Storm Brings Gusty Winds, Heavy Rain & Outages
· Grays Harbor PUD Won’t Join Effort to Bring Nuclear Power Back to Washington State
· Centralia
· $24 Million in Improvements Needed for Centralia City
· Centralia City Light: Unique & Not for Sale
· Flathead Electric Cooperative Board Opts Against Joining Portland
· Flathead Electric Cooperative Rate Increase Approved
· Texas
· Associated Press Exclusive: `Smart’ Meters Have Security Holes
· FERC’s Fingers in the Pie - Grant PUD to Discuss Future of Crescent Bar Monday
· Yucca Mountain Out: Hanford
· Alcoa Spends $340,000 Lobbying in 4th Quarter
· Exelon Spent $1M Lobbying Government in 4Q on Nuclear Power, Climate Change
· Power Generator AEP Spent $2.3 Million in Fourth Quarter Lobbying
· Avista Social Media Man Talks His Trade - Dan Kolbet Represents Utility on Twitter, Online Forums
· Reputations at Stake, Companies Try to Alter Word of Mouth Online
· An Oil Spill Could be ‘Catastrophic’ for British Columbia Orcas
· Fish-Friendly Hydro Turbines on the Drawing Board
· Oregonian Editorial - Finding the Right Fit for Big Ships, Small Fish
· Water Conservation: It’s a Fixture at LOTT
· Portland
· Birds in Conflict: Bald Eagles Attack Colonies of Herons across Western Washington
· Grasshopper Outlook Strikes Fear on Western Range
· Oregon
· Innovators Hope to Build Plant in Montana
· A Hitch for Wind Power in Wyoming
· South Dakota Governor Vetoes Tax Refund for Wind Energy Projects
· At Least 3 Kansas
· Putting Wind-Generated Power Where It’s Needed
· Oregon
· Wisconsin
· How Non-Profits Are Using Social Marketing to Promote Energy Conservation
· Getting Paid to Save Energy, Recycle? Incentives Expand
· Oregon
· Navy’s Pacific Northwest Energy-Saving Project Getting Under Way
· Seattle
· Shareholder Questions Duke Energy’s Green-Friendly Lobbying
· Lack of Ice (is) Killing Seals
· Corvallis Weighs ‘Green’ Fees – Up to $5.60 per month
· Spokane
· Governor Signs Data Center
· How Broadband Can be the Backbone for a Green Economy
· Policy Makers, Businesses Debate Fed Role in Cloud Computing
· US Concerned by Australian Internet Filter Plan
· Google Will Choose Fiber Test Location by Year’s End
· Vancouver WA
· Portland
· Governor Signs New Contribution Limits for Local Elections
· Lawsuit over Illegal Executive Sessions Costs Arlington
· Utah Governor OKs Eminent Domain Use on Federal Land
· Obama Tags Federal Trial Court Judge for 9th Circuit Court Nomination
· Another Warmer Than Normal Winter Reported
· nday Morning
· Mason County
· Hoodsport Man’s Spine Fractured in Car Crash
· Gregoire Signs New Law Allowing Cops to Pull over People Talking on Cell Phones
· Olympia
· Ethics Probe Begun for Ex Evergreen State College Professor
· Grant County - Washington State
WORD OF THE DAY
Discombobulate • \ \ • Verb - Upset, confuse
The house of mirrors had trapped the two teen-aged vandals. Intent on wreaking carnage on the small, traveling carnival…the instead became the victims of the enchanted structure. Their every turn seemed to discombobulate them more…that is, until the evil clown appeared, sending the pair into fits of shrieking as he performed balloon animals until dawn.
ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES
Spring Storm Brings Gusty Winds, Heavy Rain & Outages (KING-TV, Seattle)
Grays Harbor PUD Won’t Join Effort to Bring Nuclear Power Back to Washington State (The Daily World, Aberdeen , WA
$24 Million in Improvements Needed for Centralia City Light through 2014 (The Chronicle, Centralia , WA
Flathead Electric Cooperative Board Opts Against Joining Portland Cooperative (Flathead Beacon, Kalispell , MT
Flathead Electric Cooperative Rate Increase Approved (Daily Interlake , Kalispell , MT
Associated Press Exclusive: `Smart’ Meters Have Security Holes
FERC’s Fingers in the Pie - Grant PUD to Discuss Future of Crescent Bar Monday (Wenatchee World, WA)
Alcoa Spends $340,000 Lobbying in 4th Quarter - Bonneville Power Association, & cap-and-trade & international trade (Associated Press)
Exelon Spent $1M Lobbying Government in 4Q on Nuclear Power, Climate Change (Associated Press)
Power Generator AEP Spent $2.3 Million in Fourth Quarter Lobbying - climate, carbon capture (Associated Press)
Avista Social Media Man Talks His Trade - Dan Kolbet Represents Utility on Twitter, Online Forums (Spokesman-Review, Spokane , WA
Reputations at Stake, Companies Try to Alter Word of Mouth Online
FISH & WATER
An Oil Spill Could be ‘Catastrophic’ for British Columbia Orcas (Vancouver Sun, BC)
Fish-Friendly Hydro Turbines on the Drawing Board (KPLU Radio, Tacoma , WA
Oregonian Editorial - Finding the Right Fit for Big Ships, Small Fish
Water Conservation: It’s a Fixture at LOTT - Wastewater group keeps hundreds of thousands of gallons out of sewer system by swapping old equipment for new (Olympian, WA)
ECOLOGY & THE ENVIRONMENT
Birds in Conflict: Bald Eagles Attack Colonies of Herons across Western Washington (Seattle
Grasshopper Outlook Strikes Fear on Western Range
RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
Innovators Hope to Build Plant in Montana
A Hitch for Wind Power in Wyoming
South Dakota Governor Vetoes Tax Refund for Wind Energy Projects (Associated Press)
At Least 3 Kansas Wind Farms in Works (Wichita
Putting Wind-Generated Power Where It’s Needed - Wind energy is gaining interest & funding, but delivering the electricity it generates requires more transmission lines (Chicago Tribune, IL)
CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY
How Non-Profits Are Using Social Marketing to Promote Energy Conservation (TriplePundit)
Getting Paid to Save Energy, Recycle? Incentives Expand (USA
Navy’s Pacific Northwest Energy-Saving Project Getting Under Way (Kitsap Sun, Bremerton , WA
CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT
Shareholder Questions Duke Energy’s Green-Friendly Lobbying - Vote at annual meeting to focus on power producer’s support of cap-and-trade (Charlotte Business Journal)
Lack of Ice (is) Killing Seals (Vancouver Sun, BC)
BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI
TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS
How Broadband Can be the Backbone for a Green Economy (Earth2Tech)
Policy Makers, Businesses Debate Fed Role in Cloud Computing (Washington
US Concerned by Australian Internet Filter Plan (Associated Press)
GA-GA OVER GOOGLE
Google Will Choose Fiber Test Location by Year’s End - Received responses from roughly 1,100 speed-crazed communities (Broadband Reports)
Vancouver WA Vies for New Google Broadband - Among 600 communities seeking ultra-fast network (The Columbian, Vancouver , WA
GOVERNANCE
Governor Signs New Contribution Limits for Local Elections (News Tribune, Tacoma , WA
Lawsuit over Illegal Executive Sessions Costs Arlington Schools $29,000 (Everett
Utah Governor OKs Eminent Domain Use on Federal Land
Obama Tags Federal Trial Court Judge for 9th Circuit Court Nomination (Associated Press)
GENERAL NEWS
Another Warmer Than Normal Winter Reported (Seattle
Hoodsport Man’s Spine Fractured in Car Crash (Olympian, WA)
Gregoire Signs New Law Allowing Cops to Pull over People Talking on Cellphones (Associated Press)
Ethics Probe Begun for Ex Evergreen State College Professor - Audit had found he could not account for $50,000 he collected for study-abroad program (Olympian, WA)
DIVERSIONS
CIA Concludes Study of UFOs Futile — Who’d Trust Findings?
Police: Drunken Driver Called 911 on Herself - Suspect Chatted With Dispatchers for 20 Minutes
Door to Afterlife from Ancient Tomb Found
Wi-Fi Anxiety: Man Sues Neighbor to Shut off Electronics - The Santa Fe plaintiff claims to suffer from ‘electromagnetic sensitivities’ set off by cell phones, routers & other electronic devices.
SONG OF THE DAY
Byrds - Mr. Spaceman
