Friday, June 18, 2010

Energy News Digest for June 18, 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

Energy Northwest Names Interim CEO (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Water Flowing over Grand Coulee Dam (Associated Press)

Officials Point to Gulf as Reason for Radar Ridge Wind Power (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

Washington State Economic Forecaster says Job Recovery Will be Slow (NW Public Radio)

Governor’s Office Projects $3 Billion Shortfall for 2011-13 (Seattle Times)

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS (Details Below)

  • Energy Northwest Names Interim CEO
  • Water Flowing over Grand Coulee Dam
  • Documents Indicate Seattle City Light Paid $100k to Departing Execs
  • State of Oregon Denies Portland General Electric Boardman Request
  • Fitch Upgrades Tacoma’s Electric System Revenue Bonds; Outlook Stable
  • San Francisco Seeks Immediate Halt to Pacific Gas & Electric’s Smart Meter Program
  • Texas - Houston Lawmaker Wins Lower Rates for Customers from Electricity Retailer
  • Anti-Public Power Campaign – San Francisco Leader Has Way to Make Pacific Gas & Electric Repay Customers
  • Editorial - Time to Take Closer Look at Natural Gas Options
  • The Coal Age Continues
  • Georgia Power OK with Nuke Loan Terms
  • Nuclear Agency Weighs a Plan to Dilute Waste
  • Philadelphia creates Energy Authority to confront deregulation of electrical markets
  • Douglas County PUD Approves Hatchery Budgets
  • Washington State to Test Gillnet Alternatives on Columbia River
  • Idaho - Tribes Tout Hagerman Salmon Recovery Efforts
  • Spill at Montana’s Libby Dam to Help Sturgeon Ends
  • Nevada’s Fight over Water Continues
  • Officials Point to Gulf as Reason for Radar Ridge Wind Power
  • North Dakota Wind Power - Regulators Discuss Air Base’s Wind Worries
  • Downturn Boosts Business for Coeur D’Alene Wood Stove Manufacturer
  • Biomass Power Association CEO: Let’s Get the Facts Right on Biomass
  • Australia - The Burning Question of Renewable Energy
  • Silicon Valley Power Gets High National Rating for Solar Installations
  • Tennessee Valley Authority halts Generation Partners solar energy program as money dries up
  • Pacific Northwest Won’t Sit on Laurels When It Comes to Energy Efficiency
  • Cantwell Op/Ed - A Cap-&-Dividend Way to a Cleaner Nation & More Jobs
  • Buy Solar Power System, Get Free Gun
  • Editorial - Businesses discover that going green can save them money
  • FCC Moves to Expand Role in Broadband
  • Silverlake Buys Intel’s Data Center, Launches New Company
  • Governor’s Office Projects $3 Billion Shortfall for 2011-13
  • Costco Exec Thinks Liquor-Store Privatization Measure Will Qualify for Ballot
  • Schools Struggle to Meet New Race Labeling Rules
  • $10,000 Cost to Refinish for State Governor’s Conference Table
  • Washington State Economic Forecaster says Job Recovery Will be Slow
  • US Supreme Court Rules on Employer Monitoring of Cell Phone, Computer Conversations
  • Seven Evergreen College Rioters Pay Almost $45,000 for Damages
  • Thurston County Weighs Hunting Ban Along Puget Sound Inlets

WORD OF THE DAY

Coulrophobia • \COOL-ruh-foe-bee-uh\ • noun - Fear of clowns

“Let’s all go to the circus,” squealed little Nell to her indulging parents. Her usually pliant father held back with a shudder, a flash of coulrophobia rooting him to the spot. He could never get over that “seltzer bottle” incident in 1968 when the clowns ruled the circus at the state fair. “The horror,” he whispered; “the horror.”

SHELTON FORECAST & WEATHER ALERTS


ENERGY & UTILITY ISSUES

Energy Northwest Names Interim CEO (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Water Flowing over Grand Coulee Dam (Associated Press)

Documents Indicate Seattle City Light Paid $100k to Departing Execs (Seattle Post Intelligencer)

State of Oregon Denies Portland General Electric Boardman Request - utility wanted to invest less in pollution controls so it can close the plant 20 years sooner than originally planned (Portland Business Journal)

Fitch Upgrades Tacoma’s Electric System Revenue Bonds; Outlook Stable (Earth Times)

San Francisco Seeks Immediate Halt to Pacific Gas & Electric’s Smart Meter Program (San Jose Mercury News, CA)

Texas - Houston Lawmaker Wins Lower Rates for Customers from Electricity Retailer (Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX)

Anti-Public Power Campaign – San Francisco Leader Has Way to Make Pacific Gas & Electric Repay Customers (SF Chronicle)

Editorial - Time to Take Closer Look at Natural Gas Options (Longview Daily News, WA)

The Coal Age Continues (NY Times)

Georgia Power OK with Nuke Loan Terms (Atlanta Business Chronicle)

Nuclear Agency Weighs a Plan to Dilute Waste (NY Times)

Philadelphia creates Energy Authority to confront deregulation of electrical markets (Philadelphia Inquirer, PA)

FISH & WILDLIFE

Douglas County PUD Approves Hatchery Budgets (Omak Chronicle, WA)

Washington State to Test Gillnet Alternatives on Columbia River (Longview Daily News, WA)

Idaho - Tribes Tout Hagerman Salmon Recovery Efforts (Magic Valley Times-News, Twin Falls, ID)

Spill at Montana’s Libby Dam to Help Sturgeon Ends (Associated Press)

WATER & THE ENVIRONMENT

Nevada’s Fight over Water Continues (Courthouse News Service)

RENEWABLE/ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

Officials Point to Gulf as Reason for Radar Ridge Wind Power (Aberdeen Daily World, WA)

North Dakota Wind Power - Regulators Discuss Air Base’s Wind Worries (Bismarck Tribune, ND)

Downturn Boosts Business for Coeur D’Alene Wood Stove Manufacturer (Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA)

Biomass Power Association CEO: Let’s Get the Facts Right on Biomass (Biomass Magazine)

Australia - The Burning Question of Renewable Energy (Sydney Morning Herald)

Silicon Valley Power Gets High National Rating for Solar Installations (Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal)

Tennessee Valley Authority halts Generation Partners solar energy program as money dries up (WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN)

CONSERVATION & EFFICIENCY

Pacific Northwest Won’t Sit on Laurels When It Comes to Energy Efficiency - Regional taskforce holds final meeting (Bonneville Power Administration)

CLIMATE CHANGE SEQUESTRATION VAULT

Cantwell Op/Ed - A Cap-&-Dividend Way to a Cleaner Nation & More Jobs (Washington Post)

BARREL O’ GREEN POTPOURRI

Buy Solar Power System, Get Free Gun (Consumerist – Note: comment section may contain PG-13 content)

Editorial - Businesses discover that going green can save them money (Olympian, WA)

TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

FCC Moves to Expand Role in Broadband (NY Times)

Silverlake Buys Intel’s Data Center, Launches New Company (GigaOM)

POLITICS & GOVERNANCE

Governor’s Office Projects $3 Billion Shortfall for 2011-13 (Seattle Times)

Costco Exec Thinks Liquor-Store Privatization Measure Will Qualify for Ballot (Seattle Times)

Schools Struggle to Meet New Race Labeling Rules (Seattle Times)

$10,000 Cost to Refinish for State Governor’s Conference Table (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

GENERAL NEWS

Washington State Economic Forecaster says Job Recovery Will be Slow (NW Public Radio)

US Supreme Court Rules on Employer Monitoring of Cell Phone, Computer Conversations (Washington Post)

Seven Evergreen College Rioters Pay Almost $45,000 for Damages (News Tribune, Tacoma, WA)

Thurston County Weighs Hunting Ban Along Puget Sound Inlets - Residents say they feel unsafe (Olympian, WA)

DIVERSIONS

Cups Runneth over at World Beer Pong Event in New Jersey

Human heads discovered on plane bound for Texas

U.K. Circus Offers Therapy for Clown-Fearing Adults

Scent Company Plans to Perfume Entire South Bronx Low-Income Building to Make It Happy

SONG OF THE DAY

Talking Heads - Psycho Killer

The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain - Psycho Killer