Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Energy News Digest for April 20, 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

HOT SHOTS – TODAY’S TOP FIVE STORIES

British Columbia Liberals Issue Go-Ahead for $6.6 Billion Site C Dam on Peace River (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

Fish ‘n Ships - Feds to Follow Panel’s Advice on Salmon Migration (Associated Press)

Steep Costs Scuttles Idea of Lewis County PUD Solar Project (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Plaintiff Says Moses Lake REC Silicon Lawsuit over Plant Expansion Settled “…suit claimed a pervasive history of permit violations, chemical releases, fires, & accidents...” (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Seattle Chosen to Lead LED Street Light Study (KING-TV, Seattle)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

·         British Columbia Liberals Issue Go-Ahead for $6.6 Billion Site C Dam on Peace River
·         Bidding on Huge Amazon Dam Project Halted Again
·         Montana - Gas-Fired Power Plant Near Great Falls Clears Hurdle
·         Montana – Great Falls City Attorney Says Southern Montana Electric Coop Meetings Should be Open
·         Colorado Pushes Natural Gas to Cut Power Plant Emissions
·         Seattle Times Op/Ed - Safe, Secure Nuclear Energy Must be Part of Climate Change Solution
·         California - Worker Electrocuted While Changing Light
·         Fish ‘n Ships - Feds to Follow Panel’s Advice on Salmon Migration
·         9th Court of Appeals - Pace V. Bonneville Power Administration
·         California - First Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Fishing Since ‘07 Expected to be OK’d
·         SF Chronicle Editorial - A Skimpy Salmon Season
·         Researchers Say Dead Gray Whale Filled With Garbage
·         Gray Whale Deaths Not Unusual, Experts Say
·         Injured Sea Lion Found on Seattle Beach Dies
·         Officer Says Quilcene Arrests Only Start of Bigger Shellfish Investigation
·         Idaho - Do Sugar Plant Emissions Impair the View of Hells Canyon?
·         Calculating Water Use, Direct & Indirect
·         Steep Costs Scuttles Idea of Lewis County PUD Solar Project
·         Plaintiff Says Moses Lake REC Silicon Lawsuit over Plant Expansion Settled
·         REC Silicon Lawsuit Settled - Agreement Reached, Ending Litigation
·         Gas-Industry Report Claims Wind-Energy Standards Lead to Pollution
·         The Great Lakes - Offshore Turbines on the Horizon
·         Canada - Wind Knocked out of Regional Ontario Green Power Project
·         Oklahoma - Federal Panel Seeks to Ensure Wind Power is Green
·         Solar Industry Remains a Bright Spot in the Economy
·         Utah Homeowners Can Earn Thousands by Shifting to Solar, Wind
·         Seattle Chosen to Lead LED Street Light Study
·         Washington Dept. of Commerce Promotes Appliance Rebate on Earth Day
·         Missouri Appliance Rebates - Crestwood Sears Sells $31,000 in Appliances in 3 Hours
·         Environmental Protection Agency Announces New Guidelines for Energy Star Homes
·         Companies Cut Energy Use as Rate Hikes Loom
·         Seeking Carbon Offsets for Global Warming? Buyer Beware
·         Carbon Offsets: Using the Green Cloak of ‘Certification’ to Sell
·         Experts Predict More Volcanoes, Earthquakes Due To Warming
·         The People vs. CO2 - The Coming Tide of International Climate Lawsuits
·         State Capitol Grounds Crew Goes Electric
·         How Much Energy Does a Tweet Consume?
·         Easy Being Green for Students with List of Eco-Friendly Colleges
·         Washington State Approves Sale of Verizon Landline Business to Frontier, With Conditions
·         Eight Mason County Teachers Get Federal Technology Grants
·         Manassas Shuts Off Program to Use Power Lines for Broadband Internet
·         Cable Cut Disrupts Internet Traffic in Middle East, Europe
·         Hewlett-Packard Brags about ‘Cisco-Free’ Data Center
·         As Cloud Computing Grows, Customer Frustration Mounts
·         ‘Cloud’ Music Plans No Longer Just Pie in the Sky
·         iPad Too Much for Some Campus Networks
·         Washington Attorney General Ready to Argue R-71 Case over Petition Confidentiality
·         Snohomish County’s Information Technology Service Blasted
·         Shelton Hills Rezone Approved
·         Biomass & Zoning - Port of Shelton Holding Business Meeting This Afternoon
·         More Ash Spewing out from Iceland Clouds Outlook
·         Iceland Volcano Costs US Companies Millions of Dollars
·         Onalaska Man Shoots & Kills Intruder
·         Two Seattle-Area Men Accused of Defrauding Neighbors of Millions
·         Goldman Sachs Earns $3.3B in 1Q as Fraud Case Looms

WORD OF THE DAY

Abash • \uh-BASH\ • verb - To destroy the self-possession or self-confidence of: disconcert; embarrass

See today’s diversions to get the “inside” joke…..

“Mmmm, smooth & fruity, good stuff,” murmured the high-toned coffee snob to his cuppa-joe seatmate. “This ‘Civet Brand’ coffee is expensive, but really worth it,” the know-it-all declared. That is, before his abashed response in the form of a spit take when he learned why the coffee was called “Civet Brand.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

British Columbia Liberals Issue Go-Ahead for $6.6 Billion Site C Dam on Peace River (Victoria Times-Colonist, BC)

Bidding on Huge Amazon Dam Project Halted Again (ABC News)

Montana - Gas-Fired Power Plant Near Great Falls Clears Hurdle (Associated Press)

MontanaGreat Falls City Attorney Says Southern Montana Electric Coop Meetings Should be Open (Great Falls Tribune, MT)

Colorado Pushes Natural Gas to Cut Power Plant Emissions (Associated Press)

Seattle Times Op/Ed - Safe, Secure Nuclear Energy Must be Part of Climate Change Solution

California - Worker Electrocuted While Changing Light (SF Chronicle)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Fish ‘n Ships - Feds to Follow Panel’s Advice on Salmon Migration (Associated Press)

9th Court of Appeals - Pace V. Bonneville Power Administration: Denial of a review of a BPA Record of Decision & endangered species (Leagle)

California - First Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Fishing Since ‘07 Expected to be OK’d (Sacramento Bee, CA)

SF Chronicle Editorial - A Skimpy Salmon Season

Researchers Say Dead Gray Whale Filled With Garbage (KIRO-TV, Seattle)

Gray Whale Deaths Not Unusual, Experts Say (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA – the alternative would be immortal whales, I guess….)

Injured Sea Lion Found on Seattle Beach Dies (KING-TV, Seattle)

Officer Says Quilcene Arrests Only Start of Bigger Shellfish Investigation (Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Idaho - Do Sugar Plant Emissions Impair the View of Hells Canyon? (Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID)

Calculating Water Use, Direct & Indirect (NY Times)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Steep Costs Scuttles Idea of Lewis County PUD Solar Project (KELA Radio, Centralia, WA)

Plaintiff Says Moses Lake REC Silicon Lawsuit over Plant Expansion Settled “…suit claimed a pervasive history of permit violations, chemical releases, fires, & accidents...” (Puget Sound Business Journal)

REC Silicon Lawsuit Settled - Agreement Reached, Ending Litigation (Columbia Bason Herald, Moses Lake, WA)

Gas-Industry Report Claims Wind-Energy Standards Lead to Pollution (Denver Business Journal)

The Great Lakes - Offshore Turbines on the Horizon (Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, NY)

Canada - Wind Knocked out of Regional Ontario Green Power Project: possibly leaving taxpayers on the hook for $500,000 already spent on the project (St Catherine Standard, Canada)

Oklahoma - Federal Panel Seeks to Ensure Wind Power is Green: Wildlife officials hope to preserve habitat while electricity is generated (Oklahoman, Oklahoma City)

Solar Industry Remains a Bright Spot in the Economy (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Utah Homeowners Can Earn Thousands by Shifting to Solar, Wind (Salt Lake Tribune, UT)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Seattle Chosen to Lead LED Street Light Study (KING-TV, Seattle)

Washington Dept. of Commerce Promotes Appliance Rebate on Earth Day (Tacoma Daily Index)

Missouri Appliance Rebates - Crestwood Sears Sells $31,000 in Appliances in 3 Hours (St. Louis Business Journal)

Environmental Protection Agency Announces New Guidelines for Energy Star Homes (Environmental Protection Agency)

Companies Cut Energy Use as Rate Hikes Loom (Sustainable Business Oregon)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Seeking Carbon Offsets for Global Warming? Buyer Beware (Christian Science Monitor)

Carbon Offsets: Using the Green Cloak of ‘Certification’ to Sell (Christian Science Monitor)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Experts Predict More Volcanoes, Earthquakes Due To Warming (TopNews – Dogs & cats, living together: MASS HYSTERIA!)

The People vs. CO2 - The Coming Tide of International Climate Lawsuits (Slate Magazine)

State Capitol Grounds Crew Goes Electric - New Trucks: Move aims to save money, reduce emissions (Olympian, WA)

How Much Energy Does a Tweet Consume? (Fast Company)

Easy Being Green for Students with List of Eco-Friendly Colleges (USA Today – and another 25 cents goes to the Henson Muppet Estate)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Washington State Approves Sale of Verizon Landline Business to Frontier, With Conditions (Seattle Times)

Eight Mason County Teachers Get Federal Technology Grants (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Manassas Shuts Off Program to Use Power Lines for Broadband Internet (Washington Business Journal)

Cable Cut Disrupts Internet Traffic in Middle East, Europe (GigaOM)

Hewlett-Packard Brags about ‘Cisco-Free’ Data Center (San Francisco Business Times)

As Cloud Computing Grows, Customer Frustration Mounts (ComputerWorld)

‘Cloud’ Music Plans No Longer Just Pie in the Sky (Associated Press)

iPad Too Much for Some Campus Networks (Washington Post)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Washington Attorney General Ready to Argue R-71 Case over Petition Confidentiality (Associated Press)

Snohomish County’s Information Technology Service Blasted - Politics is preventing information services from effectively serving all county offices, a $50,000 audit finds (Everett Herald, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Shelton Hills Rezone Approved (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

Biomass & Zoning - Port of Shelton Holding Business Meeting This Afternoon (KMAS Radio, Shelton, WA)

More Ash Spewing out from Iceland Clouds Outlook (NY Times)

Iceland Volcano Costs US Companies Millions of Dollars (Christian Science Monitor)

Onalaska Man Shoots & Kills Intruder (Associated Press)

Two Seattle-Area Men Accused of Defrauding Neighbors of Millions (Associated Press)

Goldman Sachs Earns $3.3B in 1Q as Fraud Case Looms (Associated Press)

DIVERSIONS

Pooping Coffee Beans - From Dung to Coffee Brew with No Aftertaste

How Restaurants Get You Drunk

Are School Lunches a National Security Threat?

Prom-Goers Watch Repo Man Drive Away in Their Limo

SONG OF THE DAY

Foo Fighters – DOA (No one’s getting out of here alive…)